THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

Education 

GIFT  OF 

Professor 
George  C.  Kyte 


PH-ICAL 
CATEC 


UNIVERSITY  REPRINTS 
NUMBER  ONE 


PATTILLO'S 

a 

GEOGRAPHICAL  CATECHISM 


EDITED  BY 

N.  W.  WALKER 

and 
M.  C.  S.  NOBLE 


CHAPEL   HILL,    N.  C. 

THE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 

DECEMBER,  1909 


COPYRIGHT,  1909,  BY 
N.  W.  WALKER 

AND 
M.  C.  S.  NOBLE 


Education 


GIFT 


PREFACE 


In  tliis  reprint  of  Pattillo's  Geographical  Catechism  the  orig- 
inal text  has  been  reproduced  line  for  line  and  page  for  page. 
The  spelling,  punctuation,  and  capitalization  also  remain  as 
in  the  original.  The  only  liberties  the  editors  have  taken 
consist  (1)  in  substituting  the  modern  style  for  the  old-style 
"s"  and  (2)  in  correcting  a  few  typographical  errors.  The 
changes  made  are  as  follows : 

"Equinoxical",  p.  7,  11.  19-20,  has  been  changed  to 
"Equinoxial". 

".Q  13",  p.  8,  1.  11,  has  been  changed  to  "Q.  13". 

"africa",  p.  11,  1.  16,  has  been  changed  to  "Africa". 

"lighter",  p.  20,  11.  17-18,  has  been  changed  to  "light- 
est". 

"grant",  p.  21,  1.  16,  has  been  changed  to  "grand". 

"more  that  once",  p.  26,  1.  37,  has  been  changed  to 
"more  than  once". 

"Q.  41",  p.  37,  1.  11,  has  been  changed  to  "Q.  91". 

"Setna",  p.  40,  1.  36,  has  been  changed  to  "Aetna". 

"Lariffa",  p.  41,  1.  10,  has  been  changed  to  "Larissa". 

"Augsbury",  p.  42,  11.  4-5,  has  been  changed  to  "Augs- 
burg". 

"Their",  p.  47,  1.  4,  has  been  changed  to  "Their". 

A  few  errors  have  been  allowed  to  remain:  as,  for  instance, 
"Q.  56"  which  is  repeated  on  page  17.  Spellings  like  "rug- 
gid",  p.  7,  "Labrodor",  p.  9,  "chearfully",  p.  26,  and 

275 


many  others  have  not  been  regarded  as  typographical  errors 
and  have  been  left  as  in  the  original. 

So  far  as  the  editors  have  been  able  to  learn  there  are  only 
two  copies  of  the  original  edition  of  the  Catechism  that  can 
be  located:  one  (an  imperfect  copy)  is  in  the  library  of  the 
University  of  North  Carolina;  the  other  belongs  to  Dr.  Ste- 
phen B.  Weeks,  Trinity,  N.  C.,  who  has  kindly  furnished 
the  editors  those  parts  which  are  missing  from  the  University 

copy. 

THE  EDITORS. 
Chapel  Hill,  N.  C. 


INTRODUCTION 


A  peep  into  any  schoolroom  typical  of  any  age  or  method 
of  teaching  is  always  of  great  interest  and  value  to  the  pro- 
gressive teacher.  A  close  perusal  of  this  work  of  Henry  Pat- 
tillo,  a  North  Carolina  Preacher-Teacher  of  the  18th  cen- 
tury, takes  the  reader  into  a  schoolroom  of  over  one  hundred 
years  ago  and  gives  him  a  clear  view  of  how  our  great-grand- 
parents were  taught.  The  book  shows  us  the  old-time 
teacher  and  his  pupils  on  recitation,  and  from  start  to  finish 
the  reader  is  struck  not  only  with  the  quaint  style  of  expres- 
sion but  with  the  steady  stream  of  information  poured  forth . 

The  title-page  and  the  preface  together  give  us  a  clear-cut 
description  of  what  is  to  be  found  in  the  text,  and  from  these 
we  learn  that  the  author  hopes  (1)  to  make  the  study  of 
Geography  easy  for  ambitious  youth;  (2)  to  enable  the 
farmer  and  his  family  to  read  intelligently  descriptions  of 
foreign  lands;  (3)  to  bring  all  to  know  something  of  the 
works  of  God;  and  (4)  to  receive  in  the  end  "a  few  dollars 
which  will  be  welcome  visitors."  This  book,  like  all  text- 
books written  by  teachers,  is  the  fruitage  of  the  author's 
experience  in  the  class-room,  and  it  reveals  clearly  and  dis- 
tinctly the  pedagogy  of  his  time. 

A  good  old  Scotch  Presbyterian  preacher  of  Granville 
had  a  class  of  "three  lads"  and  began  to  teach  them  the  fas- 
cinating subject  of  geography.  He  had  no  beautifully  illus- 
trated text- books,  nor  wall-maps,  nor  blackboards  with 
which  to  do  effective  work ;  and  so  with  question  and  answer 
he  leads  his  "three  lads"  around  the  world,  and  to  the  stars, 


to  distant  lands  and  through  far  off  space,  describing  every 
land  and  star  and  phenomenon  with  a  style  and  method  that 
do  not  fail  to  catch  the  eye  and  the  ear  of  even  the  modern  read- 
er. And  on  nearly  every  page  he  puts  into  the  answers  to  his 
ponderous  questions  an  humble  reverence  for  the  Deity,  as 
on  page  29-30  in  speaking  of  comets:  "No  part  of  God's 
works  that  have  come  to  my  knowledge,  astonish  me  more 
than  the  infinite  wisdom,  foreknowledge  and  divine  art  of 
the  Deity,  in  throwing  from  his  creating  hand  more  than  40 
enormous  globes,  whose  paths  oppose  and  cross  each  other 
for  thousands  of  years,  in  every  direction,  without  the  rapid 
fiery  comet  once  touching  or  interrupting  a  single  planet  ? 
which  must  have  frequently  happened  had  the  planet  been 
in  that  part  of  its  orbit  in  which  it  was  before  the  cornet 
passed,  or  would  be  soon  after.  Adore  ye  sons  of  men,  and 
in  humble  gratitude  acknowledge  the  power,  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  GOD !  If  he  is  thus  tremendous  in  one  of  his 
works,  who  can  stand  when  HE  ariseth?  Make  peace  with 
him  whilst  thou  art  in  the  way;  for  he  is  as  gracious  to 
returning  penitents,  as  he  will  be  terrible  to  the  sinner  in 
his  crimes."  M.  C.  S.  N. 


SKETCH  OF  PATTILLO 

(1726-1801) 


Henry  Pattillo  was  an  eminent  Presbyterian  preacher  and 
teacher  who  lived  and  labored  in  the  counties  of  Orange  and 
Granville  from  1765  until  his  death  in  1801.  He  was  born 
in  Scotland  in  1726  "of  pious  parents  well  situated  in  point 
of  religious  privileges."  About  1740  he  with  his  brother 
George  emigrated  to  America  and  settled  in  Virginia.  Heat 
first  engaged  with  a  merchant  as  clerk  but  soon  gave  up  this 
occupation  in  order  to  study  for  the  ministry.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  about  1757,  and  in  1765  moved  to  North 
Carolina.  He  carne  from  an  ancient  and  honorable  Scotch 
family  residing  at  Balermic  near  Dundee.  The  original 
name  of  this  family  was  Pattullock,  of  which  name  there  are 
at  least  eighteen  variations  or  modifications  ranging  in 
spelling  from  Pattillo  to  Petilly.  The  subject  of  this  brief 
sketch  married  in  1755  Miss  Mary  Anderson  of  Virginia.  His 
descendants  are  now  living  in  North  Carolina,  Virginia, 
Georgia,  and  Canada. 

Henry  Pattillo  was  a  man  of  large  public  spirit  and  took  a 
deep  and  active  interest  in  all  matters  relating  to  the  welfare 
of  his  state  and  nation.  He  was  a  man,  too,  of:-great  energy 
and  force  of  character  and  he  exerted  a  strong  influence  upon 
the  political  as  well  as  the  religious  and  educational  life  of 
his  state.  Because  of  his  prominence  he  was  chosen  one  of 
those  sent  by  Governor  Tryon  to  pacify  the  Regulators. 
During  his  brief  residence  in  old  Bute  county  (now  Warren 
and  Franklin)  he  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  Provincial 


Congress  at  Hillsboro  in  1775.  He  was  chosen  one  of  the 
chaplains  of  that  body  and  was  called  to  preside  in  the  Com- 
mittee of  the  whole.  He  also  served  as  a  member  of  the 
Committee  of  Safety  for  the  Halifax  District. 

He  began  his  teaching  career  in  Virginia  while  studying 
for  the  ministry.  After  coming  to  North  Carolina  he  con- 
ducted schools  at  Hawfields,  Williamsboro,  and  at  Gran- 
ville  Hall,  a  school  "incorporated  in  1779  when  the  coun- 
try was  convulsed  in  war, ' '  the  exact  site  of  which  is  not 
now  known.  He  doubtless  taught  at  several  other  places  — 
wherever,  in  fact,  his  pastoral  duties  called  him  to  reside. 

Mr.  Pattillo  is  said  to  have  been  an  excellent  classical 
scholar  for  his  day  and  opportunity.  In  recognition  of  his 
varied  talents  and  scholastic  attainments  Hampden-Sidney 
College  conferred  upon  him  in  1787  the  honorary  degree  of 
A.M.  He  wrote  a  good  deal,  but  because  of  the  limited 
facilities  for  printing,  published  but  little.  He  left  many 
manuscripts  which  have  never  been  published.  In  1787  he 
published  in  Wilmington  a  volume  of  Sermons;  in  1796  his 
Geographical  Catechism,  the  first  text-book  written  in  North 
Carolina,  appeared;  his  only  other  publications  consist  of  a 
few  pamphlets. 

N.  W.  W. 


A     GEOGRAPHICAL 

CATECHISM, 

To  assist  those  who  have  neither  Maps  nor  Gazetteers, 
TO  READ 

NEWS-PAPERS,    HISTORY,    OB  TRAVELS; 

With  as  much  of 

The  S c i E N c E  of  ASTRONOMY,  and  the  DOCTRINE  of  the  AIR, 
As  is  judged  sufficient  for  the  FARMER,  who  wishes 

to  understand  something  of 
The  Works  of  GOD,    around  him; 

And  for  the  studious  YOUTH,  who  have  or  have  not  a  prospect  of 
further  prosecuting  those  SUBLIME  SCIENCES. 

BYHENRY  PATTILLO,  A.M.GRANVILLE. 

The  works  of  the  Lord  are  great,    sought  out  of  all  them  that  have 
pleasure  therein.    Psalmist. 

Lord  how  manifold  are  thy  works!  In  wisdom  hast  thou  made  them  all. 

Sun,  Moon  and  Stars,  praise  ye  the  Lord. 

For  ever  singing  as  they  shine, 

'  'The  hand  that  made  us  is  divine. ' '  Adison . 


HALIFAX:    P  R  i  N  T  E  D  BY  ABRAHAM  HODGE, 
M,DCC,XCVI. 


GRANVILLE,  November  27,  1795. 


TO 

GENEBAL  DA  VIE. 

SIR, 

I  RELY  on  your  goodness  to  admit  this  address,  without 
any  previous  notice.  Though  I  write  not  for  the  learn- 
ed, yet  I  wish  my  book  to  pass  through  the  hands  of  such. 
They  only  are  judges  of  literary  merit.  It  is  only  the 
learned  who  know  the  work  of  science ;  and  what  a  ruggid 
steep  they  had  to  climb,  to  attain  but  a  moderate  share  of  it. 
A  writer  expects  more  mercy,  and  even  more  gratitude  from 
men  of  real  knowledge,  than  from  an  hundred  of  the  less 
knowing,  for  whose  sake  he  writes.  If  your  kindness  in- 
clines, and  your  numerous  avocations  permit*  you,  to  pe- 
ruse these  sheets  before  they  go  to  the  press,  they  will  re- 
mind you  of  the  road  you  once  travelled,  as  far  as  they  go; 
and  cause  you  to  recollect  the  time  when  you  would  have 
joyfully  received  such  an  introductory  assistance  to  the  study 
of  these  sciences.  If  my  little  book  meets  with  your  appro- 
bation, sir,  and  in  your  judgment  answers  the  design  of  the 
writer,  expressed  in  the  title  page,  any  way  you  please  to 
take  to  express  that  approbation  to  the  numerous  and  re- 
spectable circle  of  your  acquaintance,  will  be  agreeable  and 
obliging  to 

SIR, 

Your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

HENRY  PATTILLO. 


PREFACE. 


THE  following  Catechism  is  designed  to  smooth  the  way 
to  the  study  of  Geography.  What  put  it  in  the  way  of 
question  and  answer,  was,  that  I  intended  three  young  lads 
then  under  my  care,  should  commit  it  to  memory.  It  is 
published  in  the  same  order,  that  others  may  take  the  same 
advantage.  This  was  my  first  view.  My  second  arose  from 
this  consideration,  that  as  news-papers  are  happily  and  pret- 
ty generally  circulated  among  us,  there  must  be  many  honest 
farmers  and  their  families  who  must  be  ignorant  of  many 
countries,  towns,  rivers  and  seas  mentioned  in  them;  and 
my  book  would  enable  them  to  read  with  more  intelligence. 
Though  these  were  laudable  and  sufficient  motives  for  its 
publication,  yet  I  acknowledge  a  third,  and  a  more  power- 
ful reason,  knowing  what  false  and  absurd  ideas  the  bulk  of 
mankind  entertained  of  the  works  of  God  around  them,  and 
consequently  how  dishonourable  such  opinions  are  to  the 
Deity,  and  how  unworthy  of  that  wisdom  and  beauty  mani- 
fested in  his  works;  I  judged  it  a  duty  I  owed  to  my  Crea- 
tor and  to  my  fellow-creatures,  to  attempt  to  lead  common 
readers  to  some  more  just  conceptions  of  the  divine  works; 
and  this  in  so  small  a  compass  that  the  size  of  my  book  should 
not  deter  them;  and  I  hope  in  a  manner  suited  to  their  un- 
derstandings. If  I  did  not  add  a  fourth  inducement  for  pub- 
lishing, my  reader  would  for  me.  I  did,  and  still  do  hope 
my  book  may  bring  me  in  a  few  dollars,  which  will  be  wel- 
come guests  when  they  arrive. 

The  reader  will  readily  discover  the  intimate  connection 
betwixt  Geography,  and  its  elder  sister  Astronomy.  I  hope 
that  hard  word  will  fright  no  reader.  It  signifies  no  other 
than  the  doctrine  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  of  which  the  Sun, 
Moon,  Planets  and  Comets,  compose  the  part  we  are  most 
nearly  connected  with.  A  moderate  share  of  acquaintance 
with  these,  must  constrain  us  to  say,  0  the  depth  of  the  wis- 
dom and  knowledge  of  God!  And  sure  I  am,  the  more  he  is 
known  in  his  works,  as  well  as  in  his  word,  the  more  he  will 
be  adored  and  loved  by  his  creatures. 

A  large 


[     vi     ] 

A  large  volume  on  these  sciences,  that  condescends  not 
to  a  low  beginning,  distresses  the  teacher,  and  discourages 
the  learner.  My  book  is  designed  to  pave  the  way  for  au- 
thors who  enter  deeper  into  science;  therefore  all  youths  at 
our  seminaries,  will  find  their  advantage  from  them;  while 
the  planter,  and  those  youths  who  are  not  intended  for  the 
learned  professions,  will  perhaps  satisfy  themselves  with  what 
is  here  offered  to  them. 

Knowledge  is  the  cure  of  ignorance :  Let  it  not  therefore 
spurn  the  hand  of  its  physician.  Leave  it,  my  dear  reader, 
to  a  few  silly  women,  to  cry  down  a  book  for  assertion  that 
the  planet  Jupiter  is  a  thousand  times  as  large  as  the  Earth — 
that  the  human  body  is  pressed  with  thirty  thousand  weight 
of  air — that  the  Earth  and  Moon  fly  one  million  and  an  half 
of  miles  daily — that  the  Sun  is  larger  than  ten  millions  of  the 
Moon.  These  are  well  known  and  established  truths;  and 
those  who  cry  them  down  as  impossibilities,  only  betray  an 
incurable  ignorance.  Farewell,  courteous  reader.  My  best 
wishes  attend  you  through  my  book;  through  life,  death 
and  the  whole  of  your  existence. 


AGEO- 


A   GEOGRAPHICAL    CATECHISM. 


\  T  /HAT  is  the  meaning  of  the  word   Geo- 
Questionl.  \\  graphyj> 

Answer.  It  is  compounded  of  two  Greek  words,  Ge,  the 
Earth,  and  graphe,  a  description;  and  is  the  science  that 
describes  the  Earth,  or  the  globe  of  sea  and  land. 

Q.  2.     Why  do  you  call  the  sea  and  land  a  globe? 

A.     Because  it  is  round  as  a  globe  or  ball. 

Q.  3.     How  is  the  land  on  the  globe  divided? 

A.     Into  four  quarters  or  large  continents. 

Q.  4.     What  are  their  names? 

A.     Asia,  Africa,  Europe  and  America. 

Q.  5.     How  are  these  situated,  with  respect  to  each  other? 

A.  Asia  on  the  east,  Africa  on  the  south,  Europe  west 
of  Asia,  and  north  of  Africa,  and  America  to  the  west  of  all. 

Q.  6.  How  are  places  on  the  Earth  known,  as  to  their 
situation? 

A.     By  their  latitude  and  longitude. 

Q.  7.     What  is  latitude? 

A.  Latitude  counts  the  distance  of  places,  from  the  Equi- 
noxial,  north  or  south,  in  degrees,  minutes,  seconds,  &c. 

Q.  8.     What  is  longitude? 

A.  Longitude  counts  the  distance  of  places  east  or  west, 
from  some  given  point,  called  the  first  meridian,  and  is  also 
reckoned  in  degrees,  minutes,  &c. 

Q.  9.     What  is  a  degree  and  a  minute? 

A.  A  degree  is  the  360th  part  of  the  Earth's  circumfer- 
ence; a  minute  is  the  60th  part  of  a  degree;  a  second  the 
60th  part  of  a  minute,  &c. 

Q.  10.     Why  are  lines  of  longitude  called  meridians? 

A.  Because  when  the  Sun  is  on  any  particular  meridian, 
it  is  mid-day  to  all  who  live  under  that  line,  on  the  same  side 
of  the  globe,  and  midnight  to  all  who  live  on  the  opposite 
meridian. 

Q.  11.     Are  degrees  of  latitude  and  longitude  the  same? 

A.  On  the  Equinoxial  only;  there  a  degree  of  each  is 
69i  of  our  miles:  latitude  is  the  same  every  where;  but  lon- 
gitude decreases  from  the  Equinox,  north  or  south;  so  that 
in  the  lat.  of  N.  Carolina  37°,  a  degree  of  longitude  in  only 

48 


[     8     ] 

48  miles;  and  continues  to  decrease  to  the  pole,  where  all 
the  meridian  lines  meet.* 

Q.  12.     What  is  the  Equinoxialf 

A.  The  Equinoxial  is  that  part  of  our  globe  that  is  at  an 
equal  distance  or  90  degrees  from  both  poles.  Sailors  call 
it  the  line,  and  it  surrounds  the  Earth  where  its  diameter  is 
the  greatest.  When  the  Sun  is  on  the  Equinox,  in  March 
and  September,  the  day  and  night  is  equal,  all  the  world 
over.  There  is  no  latitude  at  the  line,  for  there  that  reck- 
oning begins. 

Q.  13.     What  are  the  poles? 

A.  They  are  those  two  spots  on  our  globe,  that  lie  di- 
rectly under  the  poles  in  the  heavens,  and  where  there  is  no 
longitude :  So  that  were  a  rod  to  pass  from  the  north  pole 
in  the  heavens  to  the  south,  it  would  enter  the  Earth  at  its 
north  pole;  pass  through  the  center,  and  out  at  its  south 
pole,  to  the  south  polar  star,  and  be  in  fact  what  it  is  called, 
the  axis  of  the  Earth,  the  pole  stars  being  its  supporters. 

Q.  14.     What  is  the  diameter  of  the  Earth? 

A.  The  distance  from  side  to  side,  passing  through  the 
center.  This  line  would  be  about  8000  miles  in  length, 
and  half  of  it,  the  semi-diameter.  Consequently  the  cir- 
cumference, or  line  that  would  surround  the  Earth  at  the 
equinoxial,  where  it  is  largest,  would  be  25,000  miles,  for 
the  one  is  to  the  other  as  7  to  22. 

Q.  15.  You  say  the  Earth  is  divided  into  land  and  water; 
how  are  the  waters  divided? 

A.  Into  oceans,  seas,  gulfs,  bays,  lakes,  straits,  rivers 
and  canals. 

Q.  16.     What  is  an  ocean? 

A.     An  ocean  is  one  of  the  largest  collection  of  waters. 

Q.  17.     What  are  the  principal  oceans  in  the  globe? 

A.  I.  The  Pacific  ocean,  or  great  South  sea;  which 
lies  betwixt  the  western  coast  of  America,  and  the  eastern 
coast  of  Asia,  where  it  is  called  the  Eastern  ocean.  It  is  ten 
thousand  miles  over. 

II.  The  Atlantic  ocean,  which  lies  from  the  eastern  coast 
of  America,  to  the  western  coast  of  Europe  and  Africa,  and 
is  about  1000  leagues,  or  3000  miles  over. 

III.  The  Indian  ocean,  on  the  east  of  Africa,  and  south 
of  Asia. 

IV.  The  Southern  ocean,  towards  the  south  pole. 


*  They  are  marked  thus,  a  degree  °,  a  minute  ',  a  second ".     As  25° 
37'  42",  25  degrees  37  minutes  42  seconds. 

V.  The 


[    9     ] 

V.     The  Northern  or  Frozen  ocean,  to  the  north  of  Asia, 
Europe  and  America. 
Q.  18.     What  is  a  sea? 
A.     A  sea  is  a  smaller  collection  of  water  than  an  ocean. 

I.  The  Mediterranean  sea,  which  has  Europe  on  its  nor- 
thern shore;  Africa  on  its  southern,  and  Asia  on  its  eastern. 

II.  The  Euxine  or  Black  sea,  which  has  Asiatic  Turkey 
on  the  south,  Turkey  in  Europe  and  Grim  Tartary  on  the 
north,   and  communicates  with  the  sea  of  Asoph,  through 
the  straits  of  Kaffa, 

III.  The  Baltic  sea,   surrounded  by  Denmark,  Sweden, 
Russia  and  Poland. 

IV.  The  Red  sea,  which  has  Africa  on  its  western  ahore, 
and  Arabia  on  the  eastern,  and  hence  it  is  called  the  Ara- 
bic gulph. 

V.  The   Caspian  sea,  a  large  collection  of    fresh    water 
near  the  middle  of  Asia. 

There  are  many  other  seas  that  are  named  from  the 
countries  they  lie  on ;  as  the  German  sea,  betwixt  Germa- 
ny and  Britain :  The  Irish  sea,  betwixt  England  and  Ire- 
land, &c. 

Q.  19.     Whatisa&ayf 

A.  A  bay  is  a  part  of  the  ocean,  that  has  land  on  each 
side,  but  a  wide  entrance;  as 

I.  The  bay  of  Biscay,  which  is  that  part  of  the  Atlantic 
that  washes  the  western  coast  of  France,   and  the  northern 
shore  of  Spain. 

II.  Chessapeak  bay,  which  washes  the  shores  of  Virginia 
and  Maryland,  and  receives  all  their  great  rivers. 

III.  Hudson's  and  Baffin's  bays,  large  arms  of  the  sea,  in 
the  high  latitudes  of  North  America,  &c. 

Q.  20.     What  is  a  gulph? 

A.  A  gulph  is  a  collection  of  water,  nearly  surrounded  by 
land. 

I.  The  gulph  of  Mexico,  which  has  the  continent  of  A- 
merica  on  the  north,   west  and  south,   and  the  West-India 
islands  on  the  east. 

II.  The  gulph  of  Saint   Lawrance,    which   has    Labrador 
or  New-Britain  on  the  north,  Nova-Scotia  on  the  west,  and 
the  islands  of  Newfoundland  and  Cape  Breton  on  the  east. 

III.  The  gulph  of  Venice t   betwixt  European  Turkey  on 
the  north-east,  and  Italy  on  the  south-west,  formerly  called 
the  Adriatic  sea. 

Q.  21. 
B 


[     10     ] 

Q.  21.     How  does  a  gulph  and  a  bay  differ? 

A.  A  gulph  has  a  narrow  entrance,  and  a  bay  a  wider,  in 
proportion  to  the  water  within:  hence  the  Mediterranean, 
the  Euxine,  and  the  Baltic  seas,  are  all  real  gulphs;  for 
they  have  narrow  entrances,  and  widen  greatly  within. 

Q.  22.     What  is  a  lake? 

A.  A  lake  is  a  piece  of  fresh  water,  surrounded  by  land; 
some  of  which  receive  rivers,  but  emit  none;  as  those  two 
famous  lakes  in  Asia,  the  Caspian,  which  receives  the  Vol- 
ga, and  many  other  rivers;  and  the  lake  of  Sodom,  or  the 
Dead  sea,  into  which  the  Jourdan  mouths  and  is  lost,  after 
running  through  the  sea  of  Tiberias.  Africa  has  few  lakes 
that  are  known.  Europe  has  the  lakes  of  Constance,  Ge- 
neva, and  some  in  Sweden,  Russia  and  Ireland.  But  the 
American  lakes,  which  divide  the  British  dominions  in  Ca- 
nada from  the  United  States,  are  the  most  remarkable:  — 
they  are  lake  Superiour,  lake  Huron,  lake  Michigan,  lake 
Erie  and  lake  Ontario,  through  which  the  river  St.  Law- 
ranee  runs, 

Q.  23.     What  is  a  strait? 

A.  A  strait  is  a  narrow  passage  betwixt  two  lands;  as  the 
straits  of  Dover,  betwixt  France  and  England;  the  straits 
of  Gibraltar,  betwixt  Spain  on  the  north,  and  Morocco  on 
the  south;  the  straits  of  Babelmandel,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Red  sea,  betwixt  Arabia  on  the  east,  and  Abissinia  on  the 
west;  the  straits  of  Magellan,  betwixt  Patagonia  on  the 
north,  and  Terra  del  fuego,  the  southern  part  of  America; 
the  straits  of  Bellisle,  betwixt  Labrador  north,  and  New- 
foundland south;  Davis 's  and  Hudson's  straits;  the  sound  at 
the  entrance  of  the  Baltic,  &c. 

Q.  24.     What  is  a  river? 

A.  Rivers  have  their  origin  in  the  bowels  of  mountains 
or  hills,  from  whence  flow  springs,  which  uniting  form 
brooks,  creeks  and  small  rivers,  which  pouring  themselves 
into  a  large  bed,  are  thus  united,  conveyed  to  the  sea. 

Q.  25.     What  is  a  canal? 

A.  A  canal  is  a  large  ditch,  into  which  water  is  conveyed, 
for  the  carriage  of  vessels  with  goods  and  passengers ;  and 
the  banks  are  earth,  wood,  brick  or  stone  work. 

Q.  26.     Tell  me  how  the  land  on  the  globe  is  divided? 

A.  Land  is  divided  into  continents,  islands,  peninsulas, 
mountains,  capes,  promontories,  isthmuses,  hemispheres, 
zones,  and  climates. 

Q.  27.     What  is  a  continent? 

A.  Aeon- 


[  11  ] 

A.  A  continent  is  a  large  surface  of  earth,  not  divided  by 
water,  and  answers  to  an  ocean,  not  divided  by  land. 
Q.  28.     What  is  an  island? 

A.  An  island  is  land,   wholly  surrounded   by  water,  and 
agrees  to  a  lake,  wholly  surrounded  by  land. 
Q.  29.     What  is  a  peninsula? 

A.  A  peninsula  is,  as  the  word  signifies,  almost  an  island, 
joined  to  other  lands  by  an  isthmus,  and  answers  to  a  gulph 
or  bay. 

Q.  30.     What  is  an  isthmus? 

A.  An  isthmus  is  a  narrow  neck  of  land,  betwixt  two 
larger  tracts,  and  answers  to  a  strait  by  water. 

Q.  31.     What  are  the  most  noted  isthmuses  on  the  globe? 

A.  I.     The  isthmus  of  Suez,  betwixt  the  northern  end  of 

the    Red  sea,  and  the  Mediterranean;    about  60    miles    of 

land ;   which  is  all  that  prevents  Asia  and  Africa  from  being 

islands,  and  renders  them  two  vast  peninsulas. 

II.  The  isthmus  of  Darien,  betwixt  Panama,  on  the  Pa- 
cific ocean,  and  Porto  Bello  an  the  gulph  of  Florida,  but  60 
miles  over;  from  which  America  widens  into  two  mighty 
continents,  north  and  south;  and  being  every  where  else 
surrounded  by  water,  they  are  also  very  large  peninsulas. 
Q.  32.  What  is  a  mountain? 

A.  A  mountain  is  a  large  hill,  standing  either  alone,  or 
joined  to  others,  and  then  it  makes  part  of  a  ridge.  Moun- 
tains are  the  sources  of  fountains  and  rivers ;  the  beds  of 
metals,  minerals,  and  building  materials;  the  refuge  and 
shelter  of  man  and  beast;  the  girdles  or  hoops  of  the  earth; 
the  boundaries  of  nations,  and  frequently  their  best  defence; 
the  collectors  and  condensers  of  clouds  and  vapours,  and  the 
checks  and  barriers  of  furious  storms.  They  beautifully  va- 
riegate the  scene;  strike  the  beholder  with  awe,  and  enter- 
tain his  eye  with  their  majestic  glories. 
Q.  33.  What  is  a  cape? 

A.  A  cape  is  a  point  of  low  land  that  makes  out  into  the 
sea,  and  a  promontory  does  the  same,  but  is  high  and  rockey. 
Q.  34.     What  is  the  hemisphere? 

A.  If  you  cut  an  apple  through  the  middle,  at  an  equal 
distance  from  the  stem  and  the  flower,  it  will  represent  the 
Earth  divided  at  the  Equinoxial,  into  the  northern  and  south- 
ern hemispheres,  or  half  globes,  as  the  word  signifies:  or 
if  you  cut  the  apple  through  the  stem  and  the  flower,  it  will 
represent  the  Earth,  divided  by  the  two  opposite  meridians, 
into  the  eastern  and  western  hemispheres. 

Q.  35. 


[     12     ] 

Q.  35.     What  are  the  zones? 

A.  The  Earth  is  divided  into  five  zones,  or  girdles,  to 
wit,  1.  The  two  frigid,  or  cold  zones,  that  lie  one  round 
the  north,  the  other  round  the  south  pole,  and  extend  23° 
30'  from  them  all  round.  2.  The  two  temperate  zones,  so 
called  from  their  lying  betwixt  the  extremes  of  heat  and  cold. 
The  northern  temperate  zone,  extends  from  the  arctic  cir- 
cle to  the  northern  tropic;  the  southern  temperate  zone, 
from  the  antarctic  circle,  to  the  southern  tropic,  and  are 
each  of  them  43°  in  breadth.  3.  The  torrid,  or  burning 
zone,  which  extends  from  tropic  to  tropic,  47°  in  breadth, 
with  the  equator  in  the  middle  of  it. 

Q.  36.  What  are  the  tropics? 

This  question  brings  us  to 

THE  YOUTH'S  AND  FARMER'S  ASTRONOMY. 

Answer.  The  tropics  are  two  circles,  supposed  to  be 
drawn  round  the  earth,  parallel  to  the  Equinoxial,  and  at 
23°  30'  from  it;  the  one  north  of  the  line,  called  the  tropic 
of  Cancer;  the  other  south,  called  the  tropic  of  Capricorn. 

Q.  37.     Why  are  they  called  tropics? 

A.  From  a  Greek  word,  that  signifies  to  turn.  For  when 
the  Sun,  at  our  longest  day,  has  arrived  at  the  tropic  of  Can- 
cer, he  begins  to  turn,  or  gradually  lowers,  towards  the 
southern  tropic  of  Capricorn,  when  all  on  the  south  of  the 
line  have  their  longest  days,  and  we  the  shortest. 

Q.  38.     What  mean  those  words,  Cancer  and  Capricorn? 

A.  Cancer  is  the  most  northern  sign  of  the  Zodiac,  or 
that  cluster  of  stars  that  has  some  resemblance  to  a  crab. 
Capricorn  is  the  most  southern  sign  or  constellation  in  the 
Zodiac,  which  is  called  the  horned  goat. 

Q.  39.     What  is  the  Zodiac? 

A.  The  Zodiac,  so  called  from  a  word  that  signifies  living 
creatures,  is  that  imaginary  broad  belt  in  the  heavens,  with- 
in which  lie  those  12  constellations,  or  clusters  of  stars,  that 
are  called  the  twelve  signs  of  the  Zodiac,  and  generally  call- 
ed by  the  names  of  creatures. 

Q.  40.  What  are  the  names  and  marks,  by  which  these 
constellations  are  known? 

A.  The  names  are  Latin :  the  marks  are  arbitrary;  both 
which  I  recommend  to  you,  to  commit  to  memory,  at  this 
place,  that  you  may  know  them  on  sight.  The  Sun  enters 
the  twelve  signs  in  the  following  order : 

1.   T 


[    13    ] 


1.  T  Aries,  the  ram,  in  March 

2.  tf  Taurus,  the  bull,    April 

3.  tt  Gemini,  the  twins,  May 

4.  ©  Cancer,  the  crab,     June 

5.  £7  Leo,  the  lion,  July 

6.  W  Virgo,  virgin,      August 


7.  —  Libra,  balance,      Sept. 

8.  Wl  Scorpio,  scorpion,  Oct. 

9.  ^  Sagitarius,  archer,  Nov. 

10.  %>  Capricorn,  goat,      Dec. 

11.  sas  Aquarius,  water  bearer,  Jan. 

12.  X  Pisces,  fishes,          Feb. 


Q.  41.  Why  are  these  constellations  called  by  such  ani- 
mals' names? 

A.  Those  who  divided  the  starry  heavens  into  constella- 
tions, must  call  them  by  some  name,  to  know  and  distinguish 
them  by;  and  the  several  clusters  thus  laid  off,  probably 
bear  some  resemblance  to  the  animals  on  Earth  whose  names 
they  wear. 

Q.  42.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  Sun  entering  the  12 
signs? 

A.  When  the  Sun  is  said,  for  instance,  to  enter  Aries, 
the  meaning  is  that  he  then  comes  between  the  Earth,  and 
the  first  degree  of  that  sign . 

The  names  and  order  of  the  twelve  signs,  may  be  easily 
remembered  by  the  following  verses  of  Dr.  Watts: 

The  Ram,  the  Bull,  the  heavenly  Twins; 
And  next  the  Crab  the  Lion  shines, 

The  Virgin  and  the  Scales: 
The  Scorpion,  Archer,  and  He  Goat; 
The  Man  that  bears  the  water  pot, 

Audfish  with  glittering  tails. 

Q.  43.     What  is  the  Ecliptic? 

A.  The  Ecliptic,  so  called  from  eclipses  happening  under 
it,  is  that  circle,  supposed  in  the  middle  of  the  Zodiac, 
which  crosses  the  Equator  at  an  angle  of  23°  30',  and  is  the 
path  the  Sun  describes,  and  never  quits,  while  he  passes 
through  the  twelve  signs,  as  above  described. 

Q.  44.     What  causes  an  eclipse  of  the  Sun? 

A.  An  eclipse  of  the  Sun  can  never  happen,  but  at  the 
change  of  the  Moon ;  and  as  the  Moon  continually  wheels 
round  the  Earth  left  about,  and  completes  her  revolution  in 
her  month;  so  it  will  sometimes  happen,  that  in  passing 
from  the  east  to  the  west  of  the  Sun,  she  must  come  betwixt 
him  and  the  Earth,  and  hide  a  part,  and  sometimes,  though 
very  seldom,  the  whole  of  his  disk  from  us. 

Q.  45.  How  can  the  Moon  come  between  us  and  the 
Sun?  Are  they  not  both  at  an  equal  distane  from  us? 

A.  The  distance  of  the  Moon  from  the  Earth,  is  240,000 

miles ; 


[     14     ] 

miles;  the  distance  of  the  Sun,  is  about  96,000,000,  which 
is  400  times  as  far.  Now  though  it  would  take  several  mil- 
lions of  Moons  to  make  a  globe  equal  to  the  Sun,  yet  she 
can  hide  his  light  from  us,  by  the  same  law  of  nature  that 
your  finger  held  near  your  eye,  will  cover  a  whole  field;  and 
if  you  were  on  a  mountain,  might  hide  100  miles  from  you. 

Q.  46.     What  causes  an  eclipse  of  the  Moon? 

A.  This  can  never  happen,  but  when  the  Moon  is  full, 
and  in  direct  opposition  to  the  Sun .  Now  as  the  Moon  has 
no  more  light  than  a  clod,  unless  the  Sun  shines  upon  her, 
if  any  body  large  enough,  comes  between,  and  intercepts 
his  rays,  she  must  be  in  darkness.  When  the  Moon  then, 
for  example,  rises  full  in  the  east,  and  the  Sun  sets  in  the 
west,  the  Earth  is  betwixt  them;  and  if  exactly  betwixt 
them,  she  must  prevent  the  rays  of  the  Sun  from  falling  on 
a  part  of  the  Moon,  or,  in  other  words,  the  Moon  must 
pass  through  the  shadow  of  the  Earth ;  and  if  it  be  a  central 
eclipse,  that  is,  if  the  centers  of  the  Sun,  Earth  and  Moon, 
be  in  a  direct  line,  the  Moon  will  be  totally  darkened  as  long 
as  she  would  be  running  thrice  the  width  of  her  own  body 
in  her  monthly  course  round  the  Earth ;  for  the  shadow  of 
the  Earth  at  that  distance,  would  contain  three  such  Moons 
by  the  side  of  each  other. 

Q.  47.     What  is  the  horizon? 

A.  The  horizon  is  either  sensible  or  rational.  1.  The 
sensible  horizon  is  as  far  as  a  person  can  see  around  bim  by  sea 
or  land:  Every  part  of  the  Earth's  surface  has  its  horizon, 
and  the  more  elevated  the  station,  the  more  it  is  extended. 
2.  The  rational  horizon  surrounds  the  Earth  at  90°  from  a 
person  every  way  around  him,  and  thus  divides  it  exactly  in- 
to two  hemispheres,  the  pole  of  which,  or  point  over  head, 
is  called  the  Zenith;  the  opposite  point  the  Nadir. 

Q.  48.     What  is  a  climate? 

A.  Climates  are  imaginary  lines,  that  run  parallel  with 
the  Equator  north  or  south  of  it,  where  the  day  is  half  an 
hour  longer.  Now  as  the  day  is  always  12  hours  long  at  the 
Equinoxial,  to  complete  the  first  climate,  that  is  to  arrive 
where  the  day  is  12  1-2  hours  long,  you  must  travel  above 
500  miles  north  or  south  of  the  line,  and  then  be  in  the  8th 
degree  of  latitude.  But  this  distance  greatly  lessens  as  you 
proceed;  for  as  high  as  the  10th  climate,  where  the  day  is 
17  hours  long,  you  will  arrive  at  the  llth  climate,  only  by 
going  north  or  south  150  miles.  And  from  the  20th  to  the 
21st  climate,  20  miles  will  make  the  day  half  an  hour  longer. 

Q.  49. 


[     15    ] 

Q.  49.     What  gives  us  day  and  night? 

A.  Why,  do  not  the  Sun,  Moon  and  Stars  rise  in  the  east, 
and  wheel  round  to  the  west  and  back  again,  every  twenty- 
four  hours. 

Q.  50.  So  it  evidently  seems  to  every  body,  but  some  de- 
ny it :  what  say  you? 

A .  They  must  not  deny  what  appears  so  plain ;  and  you 
can  convince  them  directly,  by  pointing  to  the  meat  on  the 
spit,  around  which  the  house  and  the  fire  turn  like  a  wheel,  till 
it  is  roasted;  and  to  the  turkey  hung  by  the  line,  round 
which  the  fire  and  hearth  turn  millstone-fashion,  to  give  eve- 
ry side  its  due  share. 

Q.  51.  But  this  is  not  so,  and  it  is  absurd  to  talk  of  it. 
How  do  you  say  it  is? 

A.  Let  us  be  satisfied  it  is  not  one  way,  before  we  try  ano- 
ther. When  you  wish  for  a  good  view  of  the  adjacent  coun- 
try, you  climb  a  hill,  and  on  the  eminence  you  stand  quite 
still,  till  the  whole  prospect  turns  round  you,  do  you  not? 

Q.  52.  No:  I  am  not  fool  enough  to  expect  such  impossi- 
bilities. I  turn  round  and  round  again,  and  view  the  whole 
at  my  leisure.  Why  do  you  ask  me  such  a  question? 

A.  Because  I  only  wish  you  to  allow  the  Almighty  Crea- 
tor to  be  as  wise  as  you  and  your  cook ;  for  to  save  the  whole 
creation  from  turning  round  a  little  spot,  HE  has  command- 
ed the  Earth  to  turn  all  its  sides  to  the  Sun  and  Stars,  every 
twenty-four  hours,  and  thus  to  have  day  and  night  alternate- 

ly. 

Q.  53.  This  is  new  indeed;  but  can  you  make  me  under- 
stand it? 

A.  The  daily  motion  of  the  Earth  is  easily  understood. 
Have  a  ball  of  cotton  or  wool — dark  will  best  suit  the  colour 
of  Earth.  Run  a  wire  exactly  through  the  middle.  Stand 
in  the  sun,  and  point  one  end  of  the  wire  towards  the  north 
star.  Turn  your  ball  gradually  to  the  east  about;  and  if  you 
stick  a  pin  deep  in  the  ball,  it  will  represent  yourself.  You 
will  then  see,  that  when  the  sun  first  touches  the  pin,  it  west 
and  he  east,  you  have  sunrise.  When  the  pin  and  sun  are 
in  a  line,  you  have  midday.  When  you  in  the  east  lose  sight 
of  the  sun  in  the  west,  you  have  sunset.  When  the  pin 
comes  opposite  to  the  sun,  you  have  midnight,  and  so  on  a- 
gain  to  sunrise. 

Q.  54.  This  would  be  very  beautiful,  and  convenient  in- 
deed ;  but  how  can  things  avoid  falling  off,  when  the  Earth 
turns  her  sides  downwards? 

A.  This 


[     16     ] 

A.  This  childish  fear  arises  from  the  silly  notion  of  an  uni- 
versal ivp,  and  an  universal  down,  through  the  whole  crea- 
tion. Whereas  the  Earth  has  its  own  particular  up,  and 
particular  down.  From  the  center,  or  middle  point  to  the 
surface  in  any  direction,  is  up;  and  from  any  spot  on  the  sur- 
face, towards  the  center,  is  down.  Thus  it  is  with  the  Sun, 
the  Moon,  and  all  the  planets,  with  which  I  hope  you  will 
presently  be  better  acquainted.  Nothing  therefore  can  fall 
from  the  Earth,  till  attraction  ceases  to  operate. 

Q.  55.     What  is  attraction? 

A.  Attraction  is  that  property,  power  or  law  the  Great 
Creator  has  given  to  all  material  bodies,  to  draw  all  other 
bodies  towards  them ;  and  this  in  proportion  to  their  distance 
from  each  other,  and  their  quantity  of  matter.  It  is  this 
law  that  gives  weight  to  all  bodies;  for  weight  is  nothing 
but  the  Earth's  attraction,  drawing  every  thing  to  it;  not 
in  proportion  to  the  bulk,  but  quantity  of  matter.  It  is  by 
this  law  the  stone  you  throw  up,  is  again  drawn  to  the  Earth, 
which  would  otherwise  fly  off  in  a  straight  line,  and  could 
never  cease  to  fly.  This  power  acts  in  all  directions:  for 
if  you  throw  up  a  stone  at  six  in  the  morning,  and  another 
at  six  in  the  evening,  they  both  return  by  the  same  law ;  the 
Earth's  attraction  quickly  overpowers  the  force  you  gave 
them;  and  yet  these  two  stones  were  thrown  to  directly  op- 
posite points  in  the  heavens.  Cease  then,  your  ridiculous 
fears  for  the  inhabitants  of  Asia,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
globe:  the  ignorant  among  them  are  as  apprehensive,  that 
you  must/a^  up  to  the  skies,  as  you  are  for  them;  for  the 
the  same  law  of  nature  keeps  you  both  steady  to  your  places, 
as  well  as  operates  through  all  the  visible  creation.  The 
Sun  attracts  the  Earth  and  all  the  other  planets ;  and  they 
attract  him,  and  each  other. 

Q.  56.  Then  I  should  suppose  the  largest  would  draw  all 
the  others  to  it.  How  is  this  prevented? 

A.  Your  supposition  is  very  natural,  and  the  Earth  would 
be  quickly  drawn  to  the  Sun,  by  his  vastly  superiour  attrac- 
tion, had  not  infinite  wisdom  given  the  Earth  a  circular  mo- 
tion round  the  Sun,  that  exactly  balances  his  attraction,  and 
keeps  the  Earth  and  Moon  continually  at  or  nearly  the  same 
distance  from  him.  To  have  some  idea  of  this,  tie  two 
weights  to  a  string,  to  represent  the  Earth  and  Moon,  the 
one  ten  or  twelve  times  as  large  as  the  other:  face  the  south, 
and  turn  them  round  you,  left  about.  Your  hand  will  be 
the  Sun — the  string  acts  as  the  centripetal  force,  or  the  con- 

stan 


[    17    ] 

stant  inclination  of  the  Earth  and  Moon  to  draw  near  the 
Sun  by  the  force  of  his  attraction  —  the  circular  motion  you 
keep  the  weights  in,  will  represent  the  centrifugal  force, 
or  the  constant  inclination  of  the  Earth  and  Moon,  to  fly  off 
farther  from  the  Sun :  but  from  their  wonderful  adjustment, 
neither  of  these  can  happen,  but  by  the  will  of  HIM  that 
made  them.  Every  turn  you  give  the  cord,  will  represent 
the  course  of  the  Earth  and  Moon  round  the  Sun,  once  a 
year,  called  the  annual  orbit. 

Q.  56.  Is  the  speed  of  the  Earth,  in  her  yearly  course 
round  the  Sun,  known? 

A.  You  will  see  hereafter,  from  the  distance  of  the  Sun, 
that  the  Earth  flies  every  year  more  than  500  millions  of 
miles ;  and  of  course  about  a  million  and  an  half  every  24 
hours. 

Q.  57.     Prodigious!  Is  not  such  speed  inconceivable? 

A.  It  is  so.  But  consider  that  you  have  hitherto  believed 
in  a  speed  365  times  swifter.  For  you  believed  that  the  Sun 
flew  round  the  Earth  every  day  and  night.  Thus  you  gave 
him  the  task  every  day,  that  the  Almighty  has  assigned  to  the 
Earth  and  Moon  in  a  whole  year:  for  we  must  travel  that 
mighty  circuit  in  a  year,  or  the  Sun  in  a  day.  And  what  infi- 
nitely adds  to  the  absurdity,  the  fixt  stars,  the  nearest  of  which 
are  several  hundred  thousand  times  farther  from  us  than  the 
Sun  is,  they  must  join  in  this  useless  whirl,  with  a  velocity 
past  the  conception  of  angels;  and  all  this  to  twinkle  on  us, 
in  a  clear  night,  when  one  little  additional  Moon  could  have 
given  us  more  light  than  all  of  them  together.  Never  be- 
lieve fuch  folly  can  proceed  from  the  God  of  wisdom ,  who 
performs  all  his  works  in  the  easiest  and  most  simple,  that  is, 
in  the  wisest  manner  possible. 

Q.  58.  I  cannot  reconcile  the  annual  motion  of  the 
Earth  round  the  Sun,  to  complete  her  year,  and  her  daily 
motion  round  her  axis,  to  receive  day  and  night. 

A.  The  Earth's  two  motions  are  easily  reconciled. — 
When  the  rolling  hogshead  or  the  carriage  wheel  go  the 
road,  consider  a  moment,  whether  they  have  not  the  same  two 
motions  which  the  Earth  has.  One  of  these  is  round  their 
axis,  on  which  they  could  be  moved,  though  lifted  from  the 
ground — by  the  other  they  proceed  forward,  the  extent  of 
their  own  circumference  every  turn.  If  you  throw  a  ball 
from  your  hand,  it  has  the  same  two  motions,  both  in  the 
air,  and  on  the  ground;  and  if  you  roll  your  ball  with  the 

wire 
C 


[     18     ] 

wire  in  it  along  the  floor,  it  will  not  be  an  unapt  resemblance 
of  the  real  thing. 

Q.  59.  I  thank  you  sir,  I  see  it  plainly,  and  admire  the 
beauty,  ease  and  harmony  of  the  Earth's  double  motion; 
but  I  do  not  see  by  what  law  the  Moon  accompanies  her,  in 
the  annual  orbit? 

A.  The  Earth's  superiour  attraction  draws  the  Moon 
with  her,  and  would  soon  draw  it  to  her,  had  not  creating 
wisdom  given  the  Moon  a  circular  course  around  the  Earth, 
once  in  a  lunar  month,  left  about,  which  exactly  balances 
the  Earth's  attraction:  the  Moon  also  attracts  the  Earth 
with  force  sufficient  to  raise  great  tides,  as  well  in  the  ocean 
as  in  the  air;  and  at  the  full  and  change,  when  the  attrac- 
tion of  the  Sun  and  Moon  act  together,  or  in  straight  lines, 
the  tides  are  highest. 

Q.  60.  When  I  think  of  the  Earth's  diurnal  motion  on 
her  axis,  I  find  every  part  must  fly  swiftly,  and  at  the  Equi- 
noxial,  one  thousand  miles  each  hour;  I  should  think  there 
would  be  always  a  furious  wind  blowing  from  the  east,  that 
must  level  every  upright  thing  on  the  surface;  but  when  the 
annual  motion  is  added,  at  the  rate  of  a  million  and  an  half 
of  miles  each  day,  I  wonder  anything  is  left  on  the  face  of 
the  Earth. 

A.  I  am  glad  you  make  the  objection;  it  is  a  very  natu- 
ral one,  and  proves  that  you  think  as  we  proceed.  What 
you  mention  would  happen  in  a  moment,  if  the  great  Creator 
had  not  given  the  same  motion  to  the  air  that  he  gave  to  the 
Earth,  and  made  it  as  much  a  part  of  our  world,  as  the  wa- 
ters of  the  sea  are.  The  air  in  your  room  would  remain 
undisturbed,  could  the  house  fly  off  from  the  Earth  a  thou- 
sand miles  in  a  minute,  you  would  be  quite  insensible  of  any 
motion — you  would  step  as  far,  and  move  as  easily  the  one 
way  as  the  other,  and  a  drop  of  water  would  fall  as  perpen- 
dicular as  if  the  house  was  at  rest.  All  this  is  verified  in  the 
cabin  of  a  ship  under  sail;  while  sailors  experience  no 
difference  in  their  motions  or  actions,  whether  the  ship  is  sail- 
ing or  at  anchor.  They  are  insensible  of  the  ship's  motion, 
when  sailing  out  of  harbour ;  for  it  is  the  land  that  appears 
to  retire  from  them,  and  not  they  from  the  land;  and  if  they 
sail  past  any  thing  at  rest,  it  is  that  thing  which  seems  to  have 
all  the  motion  the  contrary  way. 

Q.  61.  This,  sir,  removes  several  difficulties  that  had 
occured  to  me.  I  could  not  account  for  our  flying  so  fast, 
and  not  be  sensible  of  any  motion :  and  if  I  threw  a  weight 

upwards, 


[     19     ] 

upwards,  I  judged  it  ought  to  fall  a  great  way  to  the  west; 
nor  could  I  see  how  the  clouds  or  birds  could  ever  fly  to  the 
east.  But  if  the  air  moves  with  us,  as  a  part  of  the  Earth, 
and  if  I  might  fly  in  a  close  house  with  the  lightning's  speed, 
and  not  be  sensible  of  any  motion  at  all,  it  removes  my  diffi- 
culties ;  but  it  seems  to  require  that  the  air  should  have  some 
weight,  to  cleave  so  close  to  the  Earth  in  her  swift  moti- 
ons, which  is  a  thing  I  never  thought  of;  for  we  common- 
ly say,  as  light  as  the  air  or  the  wind. 

A.  The  wind  has  weight  enough  at  times,  to  level  with 
the  ground,  the  stubborn  oak  and  stately  pine;  for  the  wind 
is  only  air  in  motion.  And  to  engage  your  attention  I  tell 
you,  that  the  air  is  so  heavy,  whether  in  motion  or  still,  that 
in  clear  weather,  it  presses  on  every  middle  sized  man  with 
a  weight  equal  to  thirty  thousand  pounds. 

Q.  62.  I  am  learning  not  to  oppose  my  ignorance  to  the 
works  of  the  Creator,  seem  they  ever  so  strange;  but  you 
must  allow  me  to  wonder,  that  we  can  be  pressed  with  such  a 
weight,  and  not  suffer  by  it,  nor  be  sensible  of  it. 

A.  I  honour  your  modesty;  and  to  encourage  and  reward 
it  will  assure  you  that  I  have  told  you  nothing,  and  dare  tell 
you  nothing,  but  what  is  strictly  true.  Had  I  no  regard  to 
the  God  of  truth,  nothing  could  induce  me  to  publish  to  the 
world,  what  a  thousand  learned  men  could  refute  to  my  con- 
fusion. Your  present  difficulty  respecting  the  pressure  of 
the  air  on  the  human  body,  and  on  every  thing  of  the  same 
size  on  the  face  of  the  Earth,  will  be  removed  by  a  maxim 
in  philosophy,  that  action,  and  re-action  are  equal.  The 
blow  you  give  is  repelled  with  just  the  force  you  give  it. 
The  ball  strikes  your  hand  just  as  hard  as  your  hand  strikes 
the  ball.  The  waggon  draws  back  to  an  ounce,  what  the 
horses  draw  forward,  whether  1000  weight  on  a  level,  or 
2000  on  an  ascent;  for  they  cannot  possibly  draw  more  at 
the  time,  than  they  have  to  draw:  and  if  you  increase  the 
weight,  you  increase  the  resisting  power.  Apply  this  rule 
to  the  case  in  hand.  Creating  wisdom  has  exactly  balanced 
the  pressure  of  the  atmosphere  on  our  bodies,  by  the  resist- 
ance of  the  air  ivithin  us;  and  the  lower  air  repels,  or  pres- 
ses upward,  with  a  force  just  equal  to  all  the  weight  or 
pressure  of  the  upper  air,  that  bears  on  it  by  the  Earth's 
attraction .  But  to  assist  you  in  this  important  subject,  I  must 
acquaint  you  with  some  properties  of  the  atmosphere. 

I.  The  air  surrounds  the  whole  globe  of  sea  and  land,  a 
number  of  miles  high. 

II.  The 


[     20    ] 

II.  The  air    being  as  proper  a  fluid  as  the  water,    but 
very  elastic  or  springy,  which  the  water  is  not;    it  must  be 
thickest    or  heaviest    at  the  Earth's  surface,    and    becomes 
lighter  or  thinner  the  higher  it  ascends. 

III.  The  weight  of  air  to  water  is  nearly  as  1   to  1000; 
and  though   this  may  appear  light,  yet  could  a  vessel,  a  foot 
square,  be  erected  to  reach  the  top  of  the  atmosphere,  the 
air  in  it  would  weigh  as  much  as  the  water  in  a  vessel  a  foot 
square  and  33  feet  high.     This   is   known    to   every   pump- 
maker;   because  the  pressure  of  the  air  on  the  surface  of  the 
well,  will  force  the  water  to  rise  in  the  pump  33  feet,  and 
no  more  without  another  valve. 

IV.  The  air   differs  in  its  weight,    at    different    times. 
When  the  weather  is  quite  clear  and  serene,  the  air  is  hea- 
viest, and  our   bodies  and   minds  feel  the  most  agreeably. 
When  the  weather  is  foggy  or  cloudy,  it  is  a  proof   that  the 
air  has  become  lighter.     In  rain  it  is  lighter  still,  and  light- 
est of  all  when  stormy.     This  is  proven  by   the  barometer, 
a  long  glass  tube  filled  with   quicksilver,  which  rises  in  the 
glass  in  clear  weather,  by  the  pressure  of  the  air  on  the  little 
vessel  of  quicksilver,  in  which  its  lower  open  end  stands; 
but  sinks  on  the  approach  of  rain,  from  the  decreased  weight 
and  pressure   of  the  air.     Rhumatic,  ruptured,  asthmatic, 
and  other  ailing  people,  are  very  sensible  of  this  change  in 
the  state  of  the  atmosphere,  by  their  pains  and  complaints; 
which  they,  by  a  great  mistake,  ascribe  to, the  thickness  or 
weight  of  the  air;   whereas  the  true  reason  is,   they  are  de- 
prived of  at  least  2000   weight   of  that  30,000  that  braces 
them  up  in  clear  weather,  and  gives  them  more  agreeable  sen- 
sations. And  as  the  surface  of  the  human  body  measures  about 
14  or  15  square  feet,  so  every  thing  on  Earth  of  that  size  loses 
also  2000  in  rainy  weather.     This  abatement  of  weight  is, 
on  the  whole  very  great :    the  air  becomes  too  light  or  thin , 
any   longer   to   support  the  watery   vapours  above;    conse- 
quently they  must  descend,  form  themselves  into  clouds,  and 
fall  in  rain.     Heat  is  the  common  instrument  of  lightning 
the  air. 

V.  From  the  elasticity  or  springiness  of  the  air  it  is,  that 
it  may  be  compressed  into  much  less  space  than  it  naturally 
fills,  or  expanded  into  vastly  greater.      Your  pop-gun  has 
taught  you,  that  all  the  air  in  it  could  be  compressed  into  an 
inch  or  two,  till  the  spring  of  the  condenced  air  forced  out 
the  lower  plug  with  a  little  crack.     The  elastic  or  expansive 
property  of  the  air,  you   have   proved,  or    may   prove,  by 

holding 


[     21     ] 

holding  a  well-tied  bladder  to  the  fire,  with  apparently  no 
air  in  it.  You  will  presently,  however,  see  it  dilate  till  it 
not  only  fills,  but  bursts  the  bladder  with  a  great  explosion. 

VI.  The  air  is  the  medium  of  breathing,  to  every  living 
creature. — It  is  the  great  instrument  of  conveying  sounds; 
of  conversation;  of  all  the  instruction  you  give  or  receive 
by  the  voice;  of  speaking  comfort  to  the  distressed;  and  of 
praying  to  and  praising  GOD.  Sound  is  conveyed  through 
the  air  383  yards  in  a  second — a  thread  and  weight  39  inches 
long  will  count  seconds,  10  1-2  inches  will  count  half  se- 
conds; thus  you  may  know  the  distance  of  a  great  gun  by 
the  flash,  and  of  a  thunder  cloud  by  the  lightning.  Fires 
cannot  exist  without  air— and  on  it  pumps  and  many  other 
useful  engines  depend.  It  takes  up  all  filthy  effluvia  from 
the  Earth,  that  would  otherwise  destroy  us;  yet  winds  and 
tempests  purify  it  for  our  use.  Air  is  the  grand  agent  in 
sailing  the  ocean ,  and  of  conveying  the  productions  of  the 
most  distant  nations  to  each  other.  The  air  is  the  grand 
medium  of  sight,  as  well  as  hearing.  It  is  the  atmosphere 
that  receives,  conveys,  retracts  and  reflects  the  rays  of  light; 
and  without  it,  if  we  could  live  a  moment  without  it,  the 
Sun  would  appear  a  glaring  spot,  and  he  and  the  Stars  be 
seen  through  the  blackest  darkness  at  midday.  No  tree  nor 
vegetable  can  grow  or  live  without  it,  more  than  creatures. 
It  turns  thousands  of  mills  every  day,  and  all  bellows  have 
their  use  from  it.  Supported  by  it,  the  birds  wing  their 
way;  and  you  move  through  this  mighty  fluid  with  the 
same  ease  and  celerity,  with  which  the  fishes  cut  the  stream. 

Q.  63.  I  thank  you,  sir:  I  shall  think  more  of  the  air 
than  I  ever  have,  study  its  properties,  and  adore  its  Crea- 
tor. Wonderful!  to  think  that  I  am  at  the  bottom  of  such 
a  vast  ocean,  that  is  of  such  use  and  advantage  —  that  I  am 
pressed  by  it  up  and  down,  and  on  all  sides  with  such  a  weight, 
and  yet  by  the  resistance  and  re-action  of  the  air  within  me, 
I  move  through  it  with  as  much  ease  as  if  I  could  move  on 
its  surface.  Surely  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  the  Deity 
are  manifested  in  all  his  works,  could  we  study  and  under- 
stand them.  But  before  we  leave  this  wondrous  element, 
pray  inform  me  how  deep  the  ocean  of  air  is ;  or  in  other 
words,  how  high  does  the  atmosphere  arise  above  the  sur- 
sace  of  the  Earth  and  sea,  all  round  the  globe? 

A.  The  height  of  the  air  cannot  be  exactly  ascertained, 
on  account  of  its  gradual  increasing  rarity  as  it  ascends.  But 
two  things  we  are  sure  of.  1.  That  if  the  atmosphere  ex- 
tends 


[     22     ] 

tends  to  the  orbit  of  the  Moon,  it  is  there  so  very  rare, 
that  it  does  not  affect  the  Moon  in  her  monthly  course  round 
the  Earth.  2.  We  know  the  air  has  density  enough  about 
50  miles  high,  to  bend  the  Sun's  rays  down  to  the  Earth, 
an  hour  before  he  rises,  and  as  long  after  he  sits.  The 
grateful  twilight  then,  is  another  blessing  we  owe  to  the  at- 
mosphere, otherwise  we  should  have  pitchy  darkness  the 
moment  the  Sun  was  out  of  sight,  and  till  he  appeared  a- 
gain  in  the  morning. 

Q.  64.  At  what  rate  does  the  air  lighten,  or  become 
rare,  as  it  ascends  from  the  Earth's  surface? 

A.  The  regular  rarefaction  of  the  air,  has  been  disco- 
vered by  experiments  on  the  air  pump,  and  by  carrying  the 
barometer  up  mountains.  As  they  ascend,  they  perceive  the 
mercury  or  quicksilver  to  sink  gradually  in  the  tube,  and 
proves  that  the  air  lightens  or  rarefies  as  they  mount.  Now 
as  you  already  know,  that  33  feet  of  water  in  a  vessel  of  an 
inch  or  a  foot  square,  is  equal  in  weight  to  the  whole  atmos- 
phere, of  the  same  size  or  base,  so  14  inches  of  quicksilver 
is  equal  to  the  whole  weight  of  air,  of  the  same  base;  for 
mercury  is  to  water  as  14  to  1  in  weight.  When  they  rise 
about  1200  feet  high,  the  mercury  will  sink  an  inch,  and 
the  air  will  lose  a  thirtieth  part  of  its  weight.  There  the 
air  would  force  water  up  a  pump  but  32  feet  high.  At  five 
miles  up,  the  air  loses  half  its  density;  at  seven  miles  up,  its 
weight  is  about  as  1  to  4;  at  14  miles  high,  it  is  as  1  to  16; 
at  21  miles  high,  as  1  to  64;  at  28  miles  high,  as  1  to  256; 
at  35  miles  high,  as  1024  to  1.  That  is,  a  cubic  foot  of  air  on 
the  Earth,  would  expand  into  1024  cubic  feet  at  the  height 
of  35  miles  from  the  Earth's  surface. 

Q.  65.  Pray  sir,  does  the  water  increase  in  its  weight, 
according  to  its  depth,  as  the  air  does? 

A.  In  the  same  exact  proportion,  but  with  much  quicker 
transitions,  from  the  wa.ter's  superiour  weight,  which  you 
know  is  to  air  as  1  to  33.  When  men  descend  33  feet  in  the 
diving  bell,  they  feel  the  weight  of  two  atmospheres,  one 
of  air  and  one  of  water;  at  66  feet  deep  they  have  three, 
and  at  99  feet  deep  they  have  four  atmospheres  upon  them, 
1  of  air  and  3  of  water,  and  so  down  to  any  imaginable 
depth.  Carious  gentlemen  at  sea,  have  sunk  a  bottle,  with 
a  large  cork  fixed  two-thirds  of  its  length,  in  the  mouth; 
and  from  the  depth  of  50  or  100  fathom,  have  drawn  it  up, 
and  found  the  whole  cork  pressed  into  the  bottle. 

Q.  66.     I  acknowledge  the  pains  you  take  with  me,  sir, 

and 


[     23    ] 

and  beg  to  be  indulged  with  one  question  more :  Is  it  possible 
to  know  the  weight  with  which  the  air  presses  the  whole  ter- 
raqueous globe ;  or  what  the  whole  body  of  air  weighs? 

A.  It  is  not  only  possible,  but  yourself  shall  do  it,  by 
plain  multiplication.  Remember,  if  the  Earth  were  co- 
vered with  water  33  feet  deep,  it  would  just  equal  in  weight, 
the  whole  incumbent  atmosphere.  Now  a  cubic  foot  of  wa- 
ter weighs  63  pounds,  which  multiplied  by  33,  makes  2079; 
the  number  of  pounds  that  the  air  presses  on  every  square 
foot  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  That  multiplied  by  9,  gives 
you  the  weight  on  a  square  yard.  Multiply  1760  by  itself, 
and  that  product  by  the  weight  on  a  yard,  will  give  you  the 
weight  on  a  square  mile.  That  multiplied  by  200,000,000, 
the  square  miles  on  the  face  of  the  globe,  which,  if  I  have 
figured  right,  will  read  thus,  11  trillions,  595,824  billions, 
720,000  millions,  gives  the  whole  weight  of  the  air  in 
pounds;  and  if  the  air  descends  two  or  three  thousand  miles 
down,  and  the  calculation  could  follow  it,  I  doubt  not  it  would 
be  found  as  heavy  as  gold,  which  is  to  water  as  19  1-2  to  1  ; 
and  consequently  to  air  on  the  surface,  as  20,000  to  1. 

Q.  67.  How  wonderful  the  works  of  GOD,  in  this  one 
element  the  air!  But  let  us  now  descend  to  the  Earth,  if 
we  can  find  our  way,  after  so  long  a  voyage. 

A.  The  Earth's  attraction  will  secure  our  way,  if  we 
can  but  arrive  with  whole  bones,  without  the  help  of  the 
little  Spaniard's  geese,  which  carried  him  to  the  Moon  and 
back.  We  have,  and  are  now  on  a  more  solid  element. 

Q.  68.  I  have,  sir,  as  you  directed,  procured  myself  a 
ball,  and  have  run  a  wire  through  it  pretty  exactly.  I  have 
tried  it  in  the  sun  and  by  the  candle ;  but  I  find  the  light  al- 
ways shines  on  the  same  parts,  which  would  make  the  days 
and  nights  constantly  of  a  length .  Pray  tell  me  what  makes 
them  of  different  length,  and  gives  the  different  seasons? 

A.  I  rejoice  to  have  a  pupil  that  labours  for  knowledge: 
the  teacher  has  then  as  much  pleasure  as  the  learner.  Your 
own  industry  must  make  your  ball  supply  the  place  of  a  small 
terrestrial  globe.  You  know  that  round  the  Earth  either 
way,  is  360°,  consequently,  from  pole  to  pole,  or  from 
wire  to  wire  is  180°.  Cut  a  slip  of  paper  that  will  reach 
from  wire  to  wire;  half  of  that  lay  off  into  nine  equal  divi- 
sions, and  each  of  these  into  nine  more,  which  will  give  you 
90°  or  a  quadrant.  At  90°  degrees  from  each  pole,  wrap 
two  white  threads  round  your  dark  ball  for  the  Equinoxial, 
and  if  the  ball  is  white,  wrap  black  threads.  23  1-2°  from 

which , 


[     24     ] 

which,  wrap  a  thread,  parallel  to  the  Equator,  for  the 
northern  tropic,  and  another  at  equal  distance  south,  for  the 
tropic  of  Capricorn.  If  they  are  exact,  they  will  be  every 
where  47°  asunder,  and  include  the  torrid  zone.  43° 
from  each  tropic,  or  23°  30'  from  each  pole,  stick  a 
white  thread  around,  for  the  two  polar  circles.  Thus  you 
have  the  two  frigid  zones,  round  the  two  poles;  the  two 
temperate  zones,  betwixt  the  polar  circles  and  the  tropics, 
and  the  torrid  zone  from  one  to  the  other  tropic,  and  the 
Equator  betwixt  them.  Now  tie  your  thread  to  one  wire, 
and  passing  close  by  the  other,  bring  it  quite  round;  this 
gives  you  two  meridians,  but  as  you  need  four,  wrap  it  round 
again,  at  an  equal  distance  from  the  other  two,  and  you  di- 
vide the  globe  into  4  quarters,  each  quarter  90°,  as  well 
where  narrowest  as  widest.  Tie  your  thread  to  a  pin,  and 
run  it  into  the  ball,  where  one  of  the  meridians  crosses  one 
of  the  tropics;  thence  conduct  it  diagonally  to  where  the 
next  meridian  crosses  the  Equator,  which  it  will  do  at  an 
angle  of  23°  30';  thence  to  where  your  second  meridian 
crosses  the  opposite  tropic,  and  there  stick  another  pin,  with 
the  thread  round  it.  Then  carry  it  to  where  the  third  me- 
ridian crosses  the  Equator,  and  thence  to  your  first  pin,  to 
which  fasten  it.  This  gives  you  the  Ecliptic.  Stick  ano- 
ther pin  half  way  into  the  ball,  where  one  of  the  meri- 
dians crosses  the  north  polar  circle;  and  another  where  the 
opposite  meridian  crosses  the  other  polar  circle,  and  these 
will  be  the  axis  of  the  Ecliptic,  23°  30'  from  the  axis  of  the 
Earth.  Procure  a  large  wire,  9  or  10  feet  long,  and  bend 
it  into  a  circle;  or  if  that  cant  be  had,  tough  hoop- wood, 
cut  small,  may  do.  Have  12  slips  of  paper,  of  equal  length, 
that  will  go  round  the  hoop;  set  on  them  the  marks  of  the 
12  signs,  and  divide  each  into  30°.  Fix  these  on  your  hoop, 
touching  each  other  all  round,  in  the  order  mentioned  a- 
bove.  Set  a  candle  on  the  table,  and  raise  the  hoop  even 
with  the  blaze;  having  bent  one  end  of  your  wire  into  a  hook, 
and  hung  it  to  a  thread,  twisted  so  as  that  the  ball  will  turn 
left  about,  or  opposite  to  the  hands  of  a  watch  laid  on  the 
table;  you  can  carry  it  round,  left  about  too,  for  the  an- 
nual motion,  while  the  thread  untwisting,  gives  you  the  di- 
urnal motion.  But  thus  you  have  day  and  night  still  equal, 
and  no  change  of  seasons;  because  you  cannot  make  your 
ball  turn  on  its  axis,  and  at  the  same  time  incline  or  lean 
23°  30',  as  the  Creator  has  the  Earth.  To  obtain  an  idea 
of  the  seasons,  and  different  length  of  days,  let  those  who 

hold 


[     25     ] 

hold  the  hoop,  a  little  raise  the  side  ©,  and  the  other  a  lit- 
tle depress  the  side  <6  ;  T  and  —  being  exactly  in  a  line  with 
the  candle.  Now  if  you  suspend  your  ball  in  Aries,  the 
light  will  shine  to  both  poles ;  and  you  have  the  vernal  equi- 
nox, or  day  and  night  equal  in  spring,  and  your  equator 
will  be  in  a  line  with  the  hoop.  Then  steadily  conducting 
your  rolling  ball,  so  that  the  middle  of  it  shall  always  be  in 
a  line  with  the  hoop ;  you  will  see  how  gradually  the  light 
arises  on  the  north  polar  circle,  and  sets  on  the  southern, 
till  when  you  arrive  at  Cancer,  the  whole  arctic  circle  is  en- 
lightened, and  the  antarctic  all  in  darkness,  and  the  tropics 
are  in  a  line  with  the  hoop,  and  we  have  our  longest  days. 
As  you  proceed  through  Leo  and  Virgo,  the  days  gradually 
decrease;  the  north  polar  circle  loses,  and  the  southern 
gains  light,  till  your  ball  arrives  at  Libra,  your  equator  a- 
gain  in  a  line  with  the  hoop,  and  we  have  day  and  night 
equal,  at  the  autumnal  equinox.  Thence  rolling  through 
Scorpio  and  Sagitary,  our  day  continues  to  shorten,  theirs 
to  lengthen,  till  in  Capricorn,  the  north  polar  circle  will  be 
all  in  darkness,  the  southern  all  in  light;  we  have  our 
shortest  days,  the  southern  hemisphere  the  longest,  and  the 
tropics  are  again  in  line  with  the  hoop,  at  the  winter  sols- 
tice. Proceeding  now  through  Aquarius  and  Pisces,  the  days 
gradually  lengthen  to  us,  and  shorten  to  the  south,  till  you 
again  arrive  at  Aries,  have  the  vernal  equinox,  your  equa- 
tor and  the  hoop  again  on  a  line,  and  your  ball  supposed  to 
have  turned  365  times  during  the  revolution  through  its  an- 
nual orbit.  This  is  as  good  a  representation  as  can  be  given 
without  an  orrery.  The  candle  is  the  Sun,  the  hoop  the 
ecliptic  among  the  fixt  stars,  and  the  ball  the  Earth.  The 
candle  seems  to  move  into  the  sign  opposite  to  the  ball,  tho' 
it  remains  at  perfect  rest.  So  to  a  spectator  in  the  Sun,  the 
Earth  alone  would  be  seen  to  move  through  all  the  12  signs, 
and  the  Sun  at  rest  in  the  centre. 

Q.  69.  I  will  study  this  great  subject,  as  you  direct,  that 
your  labour  may  not  be  lost  on  me.  But  as  you  have  sun- 
dry times  mentioned  the  planets,  it  is  time  for  me  to  know 
what  they  are? 

A.  Yes;  the  very  proper  time.  The  planets  are  a  num- 
ber of  globes,  that  revolve  round  the  Sun,  as  the  Earth 
does;  some  less  than  the  Earth,  some  vastly  larger,  some 
nearer  to  him,  others  much  farther  from  him,  some  prima- 
ry, others  secondary;  and  the  Sun,  Planets  and  Comets  com- 
pose the  SOLAR  SYSTEM. 

D  Q.  70 


[20     ] 

Q.  70.  What  is  the  distinction  of  primary  and  seconda- 
ry, among  the  planets? 

A.  The  Earth  is  a  primary  planet;  the  Moon  a  second- 
ary, called  a  satellite,  guard  or  attendant;  and  so  of  the 
rest. 

Q.  71.  How  I  long  to  know  the  names,  sizes  and  distan- 
ces of  the  planets,  and  the  length  of  their  days  and  nights! 

A.  I  will  chearfully  gratify  your  wishes  in  the  plainest 
and  briefest  manner  I  am  able.  The  Sun  ©  is  the  grand 
center  of  the  system,  around  which  all  the  planets  move; 
and  when  they  have  accomplished  the  revolution,  they 
have  completed  their  year. 

I.  Mercury    §  ,    the  planet  nearest  to  the  Sun,  revolves 
round  him  in  88  of  our  days,  which  is  his  year,  at  the  dist- 
ance of  about  35,000,000  of  miles  from  the  Sun.     The  dia- 
meter of  this  planet  is  2600  miles,  and  he  moves  in  his  orbit 
95,000  miles  each  hour.     He  has  seven  times  the  light  and 
heat  that  we  have ;   so  that  our  water  would  there  quickly 
evaporate,  and  our  earth  be  in  flames.     From  his  constant 
vicinity  to  the  Sun,  nothing  can  be  seen  on   his  surface,  to 
ascertain  the  length  of  his  day  and  night. 

II.  Venus  9  ,  the  next   in   course,  is  our  morning  and 
evening  Star,  about  the  size  of  our  Earth,  or  8000  miles  in 
diameter.     She  revolves   round  the  Sun  at  the  distance  of 
60,000,000  of  miles  from  him;  and  flying  at  the  rate  of  70,000 
miles  each  hour,   completes   her  year  in   225  of  our  days; 
though  she  turns  so  slow  on  her  axis,  that  she  has  had  but  9 
days  and  nights  in  all  that  time.  As  seen  through  a  telescope, 
she  has  all  the  appearances  of  the  Moon,  at  her  different  a- 
ges.     You  must  not  judge    it  contradictory,  when  you  see 
Venus  to  the  west  of  the  Sun,  as  morning  star,   or  to  the 
east   of   the  Sun,  as  evening  star,  really    longer    than    her 
whole  year;   for  the  Earth  is   flying  the  same  way,  though 
with  a  slower  course,  and  in   a  larger  circle.     If  any  person 
and  you  agree  to  walk  round  a  small  house,  he  20  yards  from 
it  and  you  30;  he  takes  three  steps  for  your  two,  you  will 
see  that  he  surrounds  the  house  more  than  once  before  he  is 
hid  behind   it;   and  when  he  appears  again   on  your  other 
hand,  he  will  be  much  longer  in  your  sight  than  he  is  mak- 
ing his  whole  round.     Continue  this  for  a  few  circles  and  you 
cannot  fail  to  understand  it.     You  are  the  Earth,   the  other 
person  Venus,  and  the  house  the  Sun. 

III.  The  Earth  is  the  third  planet  from  the  Sun,  and 
revolves  round  him,  as  you  have  seen,  in  365  1-4  days,  at 

the 


[    27     ] 

the  rate  of  60,000  miles  each  hour,  and  at  the  distance  of 
96,000,000  of  miles  from  him;  while  her  secondary  or  sa- 
tellite, the  Moon,  attends  her  through  the  whole  of  her  an- 
nual course,  but  partakes  not  of  her  daily  motion  round  her 
axis:  instead  of  which,  the  Moon  has  an  orbit  of  about 
1,400,000  miles  around  the  Earth,  from  change  to  change; 
and  consequently  travels  so  much  more  than  the  Earth  eve- 
ry month.  The  diameter  of  the  Moon  is  about  2200  miles, 
and  she  moves  in  her  monthly  orbit  2300  miles  each  hour, 
besides  the  1,500,000  she  daily  travels  with  the  Earth.  To 
have  the  course  and  different  appearances  of  the  Moon  re- 
presented, set  a  candle  at  one  end  of  the  room,  for  the  Sun, 
and  you  set  a  few  yards  from  the  other  end,  for  the  Earth — 
let  a  person  hang  a  ball  betwixt  you  and  the  candle,  to  re- 
present the  Moon  at  her  change:  and  if  directly  betwixt 
your  eye  and  the  candle,  it  is  the  Sun  eclipsed.  Let  the 
person  gently  move  the  ball  left  about  in  a  circle,  of  which 
your  head  is  the  centre;  you  will  soon  see  a  narrow  streak 
of  the  enlightened  part,  as  the  new  Moon.  While  he  moves 
on  you  will  see  more  and  more  of  the  enlightened  part,  till 
she  comes  a  quarter  round,  when  you  see  half;  and  still  mov- 
ing round,  you  see  more  and  more  of  her  clear  side,  till  she 
comes  directly  opposite  to  the  Sun,  and  the  Moon  is  full.  If 
you  would  have  a  lunar  eclipse,  let  the  ball  pass  through  the 
shadow  of  your  head.  Thence  proceeding  on,  you  see  eve- 
ry day  less  of  her  enlightened  part,  till  she  comes  to  her 
third  quarter,  and  on  again  to  the  change.  A  few  rounds 
will  make  a  whole  room  full  of  people  understand  it.  You 
will  see  that  the  Sun  always  enlightens  one  half  of  the 
Moon — that  at  the  change,  or  when  she  passes  from  the  east 
to  the  west  of  the  Sun,  her  dark  side  is  towards  the  Earth; 
and  when  on  the  opposite  side  of  her  orbit,  you  see  her  whole 
enlightened  side.  In  other  parts  of  her  course  you  see  her 
light  increasing  from  the  change  to  the  full,  and  decreasing 
from  the  full  to  the  change.  Remember  the  Earth  is  a  Moon 
to  the  Moon,  and  reflects  much  more  light  on  her  than  she 
does  on  it,  from  the  Earth's  superiour  size.  It  is  by  the 
light  the  Earth  reflects  on  her,  that  the  whole  of  the  Moon 
is  always  visible,  when  the  tenth  part  of  what  the  Sun  shines 
on  cannot  be  seen.  The  Moon  turns  once  on  her  own  axis, 
during  her  monthly  course;  for  she  always  keeps  the  same 
side  to  the  Earth,  which  can  never  be  seen  from  the  Moon's 
farther  side.  Lastly,  the  Earth  is  to  the  Moon  the  best 
time-keeper  it  can  have  by  turning  every  day  all  its  seas, 

conti- 


[     28     ] 

continents  and  islands  to  her.  The  Lunarians  may  very 
probably  breakfast  on  China  and  Japan,  dine  over  Europe 
and  Africa,  sup  with  America,  and  sleep  through  the  whole 
Pacific  ocean. 

IV.  Mars  cf  is  the  fourth  planet  from  the  Sun,  and  the 
first  above  us,  or  exterior  to  the  orbit   of   the  Earth.     His 
distance  from  the  Sun  is  about  140,000,000  of  miles,  and  by 
travelling  48,000  miles  each  hour,   he  completes  his  course 
round  the  Sun  in  687  of  our  days,  and  in  668  of  his  own, 
which  are  40  minutes  longer  than  ours.     His  diameter  is 
about   5000   miles.       He  has  a  thick    atmosphere,    but  no 
Moon  yet  discovered.     He  appears  among  the  stars  of  a  red 
fiery  colour,  has  but  half  the  light  and  heat  that  we  have, 
and  the  Sun  appears  to  him  but  half  as  large  as  to  us. 

V.  Jupiter  2l,  the  next  from  the  Sun,   and  fifth  in  the 
system,  is  the  largest  of  all  the  planets.     His  distance  from 
the  Sun  is  495,000,000  of  miles,  and   he  finishes  his  course 
in  a  little  less  than  twelve  of  our   years,    by   flying   30,000 
miles  each  hour.     His  diameter  exceeds  ten  times  the  length 
of  the  Earth's,  which  makes  his  bulk  above  a  thousand  times 
the  size  of  our  Earth;  and  yet  he  turns   so   amazingly  swift 
on  his  axis  that  his  day  and  ni^ht  are  equal  to  but  9  hours 
and  56  minutes.     He  has  but  the  thirtieth  part  of  light  and 
heat  that  we  have  from  the  Sun :  but  he  has  a  quick  return 
of  day,  and  at  least  four  Moons*  to  enlighten  him;    some  of 
those  Moons  larger  than  our  Earth.     What  a  glorious  scene 
of  wonders  does  that  mighty  Planet,   with   so  many  attend- 
ants, present  to  all  who  are  disposed  to  admire  the  works  of 
GOD!     His  Moons  are  of  great  use  to  seamen,  in  discover- 
ing their  longitude.     Jupiter  is  the  brightest  star  in  the  hea- 
vens, next  to  Venus,  and  he  has  been  visible  for  some  months 
past,  and  will  be  to  the  end  of  the  year. 

VI.  Saturn  ^  the  sixth,  and  till  lately  judged  by  all  a- 
stronomers  the  highest  and  most  distant  of  all  the  planets,  is 
900,000,000  of  miles  from  the  Sun;  and  by  travelling  18000 
every  hour,  completes  his  revolution  in  29  1-2  of  our  years, 
which  is  the  length  of  his.     He  is  67,000  miles  in  diameter, 
so  must  be  600  times  the  size  of  the  Earth.     The  Sun  ap- 
pears to  him  one  ninetieth  part  of  the  size  he  does  to  us ; 
but  the  gracious  Creator  has  given  him  five  moons  to  en- 
lighten him,  besides  a  vast  luminous  arch  or  ring  21,000 

miles 


*  /  have  been  told,  that  the  famous  Dr.  Herchell  has  by  the  superi- 
our  power  of  his  glasses,  discovered  two  more  Moons  attending  Jupiter, 
interior  to  all  the  former. 


[     29     ] 

miles  wide,  and  about  the  same  distance  from  the  body  of 
the  planet  all  round.  Nothing  can  be  seen  on  this  planet 
to  determine  his  revolution  on  his  axis,  consequently  we  are 
ignorant  of  the  length  of  his  day. 

VII.  The  seventh  and  most  exterior  of  all  the  planets 
was  discovered  a  few  years  ago  by  Dr.  Kerch  ell,  which  in 
honour  of  the  British  King,  he  calls  the  Georgian  Planet. 
Its  distance  from  the  Sun  is  1565,000,000  of  miles,  and 
moving  in  its  orbit  7000  miles  each  hour,  accomplishes  its 
year  or  revolution  in  83  of  our  years,  and  5  months.  His 
diameter  is  34,000  miles,  of  course  he  is  as  large  as  80  of 
our  Earth.  Two  moons  have  been  discovered  attending 
him;  and  this  is  all  that  is  yet  known  of  him. 

Q .  72 .  You  have  drawn  a  glorious  plan  of  seven  primary 
and  fourteen  secondary  planets  or  moons,  which  revolve 
round  the  Sun  and  each  other,  and  receive  all  their  light 
and  heat  from  him;  but  vast  as  this  system  is,  you  mention- 
ed also  comets,  as  belonging  to  it.  Pray  what  are  the  co- 
mets or  blazing  stars,  as  they  are  commonly  called? 

A.  The  comets,  more  than  twenty  of  which  have  come 
within  observation  and  calculation,  have  their  regular 
course  round  the  Sun,  as  the  planets  have;  but  in  orbits 
very  different.  The  orbit  of  comets  generally  resemble  the 
handle  of  a  gimlet,  or  two  sugar  loaves  butted  together, 
and  the  Sun  nearly  in  one  end  of  them.  They  are  named 
from  a  Greek  word  that  signifies  hairy  or  bearded,  from 
their  appearing  with  beards  and  long  tails,  which  are  judg- 
ed to  be  oily  vapours  carried  from  the  body  of  the  comet  by 
the  Sun's  rays.  Comets  are  not  vapours  or  meteors,  as  for- 
merly imagined,  but  exceedingly  hard  and  solid  bodies,  ca- 
pable of  bearing  the  greatest  extremes  of  heat  and  cold; 
through  which  they  pass  in  their  progress  round  the  Sun, 
and  at  the  mighty  distance  they  fly  off  from  him.  The  or- 
bits of  the  comets  differ  from  those  of  the  planets,  not  only 
in  their  very  eliptical  or  oval  shape,  but  in  their  direction. 
The  orbits  of  the  planets  lie  all  nearly  in  the  same  plane  or 
level:  but  those  of  the  comets  lie  some  the  same  way,  some 
crossing  the  orbits  of  the  planets,  and  some  directly  against 
their  course.  No  part  of  GOD's  works  that  have  come  to 
my  knowledge,  astonish  me  more  than  the  infinite  wisdom, 
foreknowledge  and  divine  art  of  the  Deity,  in  throwing 
from  his  creating  hand  more  than  40  enormous  globes, 
whose  paths  oppose  and  cross  each  other  for  thousands  of 
years,  in  every  direction,  without  the  rapid  fiery  comet 

once 


[     30     ] 

once  touching  or  interrupting  a  single  planet,  which  must 
have  frequently  happened  had  the  planet  been  in  that  part 
of  its  orbit  in  which  it  was  before  the  comet  passed,  or 
would  be  soon  after.  Adore  ye  sons  of  men,  and  in  humble 
gratitude  acknowledge  the  power,  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
GOD!  If  he  is  thus  tremendous  in  one  of  his  works,  who 
can  stand  when  HE  arisethf  Make  peace  with  him  whilst 
thou  art  in  the  way;  for  he  is  as  gracious  to  returning  peni- 
tents, as  he  will  be  terrible  to  the  sinner  in  his  crimes. 

Q.  73.  I  thank  you  sir,  for  your  observations  on  a  sub- 
ject so  uncommon ;  and  shall  impatiently  wait  for  the  awful 
glories  of  the  next  comet.  But  please  to  remove  another 
difficulty.  I  observe  as  the  planets  are  placed  farther  from 
the  Sun,  and  consequently  have  longer  journeys  round  him, 
they  move, slower  in  proportion  to  their  distance.  This  does 
not  appear  natural,  but  I  dare  not  say  it  is  not  wise. 

A.  Your  objection  would  have  weight  if  all  the  planets 
moved  round  the  Sun  in  the  same  space  of  time,  like  a  num- 
ber of  weights  tied  to  a  stick  and  moved  round  you;  for  then 
indeed  they  will  travel  faster  in  proportion  to  their  distance 
from  your  hand.  But  it  is  very  different  with  the  Sun  and 
planets.  You  should  remember  that  the  centripetal  force, 
or  the  Sun's  attractive  power  on  a  planet,  and  the  centrifu- 
gal circular  force  which  constantly  inclines  the  planet  to  fly 
farther  from  him,  exactly  balances  each  other.  NOWT  as  at- 
traction acts  in  proportion  to  the  distance  betwixt  the  attract- 
ing and  attracted  bodies,  so  the  Sun's  attraction  must  act 
strongest  on  the  planets  nearest  to  him;  of  course  they  must 
wheel  round  him  the  more  swiftly,  to  prevent  falling  down 
to  him;  whereas  the  more  distant  planets  can  move  more 
slowly  without  any  such  danger.  Had  Mercury  the  slow 
motion  of  Saturn,  or  the  Georgian,  he  would  be  drawn  to 
the  Sun  in  a  few  days;  but  if  either  of  them  had  the  rapid 
motion  of  Mercury,  it  would  quit  its  orbit  and  fly  off  fore- 
ver through  the  voids  of  space.  If  you  tie  a  weight  to  a 
string  four  feet  long  and  let  it  represent  Mars,  which  tra- 
vels 48,000  miles  per  hour,  and  swing  it  round  your  hand 
with  just  force  enough  to  keep  it  going;  and  then  to  repre- 
sent Mercury,  which  travels  with  twice  the  speed  of  Mars, 
swing  it  round  with  half  the  length  of  string;  and  you  will 
see  how  swiftly  you  must  turn  it  to  keep  it  going  at  all. 
Hence  you  will  discover  the  necessity  of  the  swifter  motion 
of  the  interior  planets,  and  the  slower  progress  of  those  that 
are  more  remote  from  the  Sun . 

Q.  74. 


[     31     ] 

Q.  74.  I  now  plainly  see  that  the  planets  must  move 
quicker  or  slower  in  proportion  to  their  nearness  to,  or  dist- 
ance from  the  Sun ,  and  ardently  wish  I  had  a  plan  of  the 
Solar  System,  as  you  called  it:  I  would  study  it  with  plea- 
sure, till  it  became  familiar. 

A.  That  could  be  easily  drawn  on  paper,  but  it  would 
require  a  particular  plate  which  printing-offices  are  not  ex- 
pected to  be  furnished  with :  however,  you  can  do  it  your- 
self. 

Q.  75.  You  have  a  higher  opinion  of  my  apprehension 
than  it  deserves;  but  I  will  attempt  it  with  your  direction. 

A.  A  large  rough  draft  will  suit  you  best  at  first.  If  you 
are  on  a  floor  with  which  you  can  make  free,  and  a  piece  of 
chalk  at  hand,  make  a  round  spot  for  the  Sun,  in  the  middle. 
Then  if  you  will  allow  an  inch  for  17  or  18,000,000  of  miles, 
draw  a  circle  two  inches  from  the  Sun  for  the  orbit  of  Mer- 
cury; only  remember  the  planets  move  through  pure  ether, 
and  leave  no  tract  behind  them;  but  you  must  for  the  present, 
imagine  they  do.  Three  inches  and  an  half  from  the  Sun 
draw  a  circle  for  the  orbit  of  Venus,  and  an  inch  without 
that  draw  the  orbit  of  the  Earth,  and  a  very  small  circle 
round  the  Earth  for  the  orbit  of  the  Moon.  Eight  inches 
from  the  center  draw  the  orbit  of  Mars,  and  about  27  inches 
from  the  Sun  draw  the  whole  or  a  part  of  the  orbit  of  Jupi- 
ter, and  six  small  circles  for  his  Moons.  Fifty  inches  from 
the  centre  draw  a  part  of  Saturn's  orbit,  and  his  five  Moons, 
the  outermost  of  Avhich  is  so  distant  from  its  primary,  that 
it  is  believed  to  have  a  Moon  attending  it.  Eighty-six 
inches  from  the  Sun  draw  a  part  of  the  orbit  of  Georgian, 
with  his  two  Moons.  After  this  you  can  proportion  it  so 
as  to  draw  it  off  on  a  sheet  of  paper;  and  you  will  value  it 
more  as  your  own  work,  than  if  you  could  have  it  from  the 
press.  Let  me  inform  you,  that  the  orbits  of  the  planets 
are  not  exactly  circular,  but  a  little  oval  or  egg-like,  as  the 
word  signifies;  and  the  Sun  in  their  lower  focus,  or  nearest 
to  one  end ;  in  which  part  of  their  orbit  all  the  planets  fly 
swiftest. 

Q.  76.  Can  you  make  me  understand  the  orbits  of  the 
comets? 

A.  Try  three  that  are  best  known.  The  comet  of  1661 
has  appeared  since,  but  I  forget  the  year.  It  is  first  seen  in 
the  south,  in  the  thirtieth  degree  of  Sagitary.  It  crossed 
the  orbits  of  all  the  planets  but  Mercury,  passed  round  the 
Sun  to  the  right,  betwixt  the  orbits  of  Venus  and  Mercury, 

and 


[    32    ] 

and  disappeared  in  the  southeast,  in  the  seventeenth  degree 
of  Aquarius,  about  forty-eight  degrees  from  where  it  was 
first  seen.  This  comet  has  a  wide  orbit,  and  therefore  not 
a  long  one.  The  comet  of  1682,  whose  period  I  have  also 
forgot,  was  first  discovered  northwest,  in  the  thirtieth  degree 
of  Leo,  and  having  crossed  the  orbits  of  all  the  planets,  but 
that  of  Mercury,  it  turned  round  the  Sun  to  the  left,  and 
disappeared  in  the  fifth  degree  of  Cancer,  fifty-seven  degrees 
from  where  it  entered ,  and  has  a  wider  orbit  than  the  for- 
mer. But  the  most  remarkable  comet  of  the  system  appear- 
ed in  1680  in  the  north,  the  nineteenth  degree  of  Gemini; 
it  crossed  the  orbits  of  all  the  planets,  and  turned  round  the 
Sun  to  the  right,  so  close  to  his  surface  as  to  imbibe  a  heat, 
that  scarcely  anything  on  Earth  could  bear  the  thousandth 
part  of.  Its  period  is  575  years;  and  its  orbit  so  exceed- 
ingly narrow  that  it  falls  almost  perpendicularly  to  the  Sun 
for  280  odd  years,  and  acquires  the  amazing  velocity  of 
880,000  miles  in  an  hour.  It  was  accurately  observed  by  the 
great  Sir  Isaac  Newton.  The  orbit  of  this  comet  is  more 
like  two  tapering  sticks  butted  together,  than  sugar  loaves 
like  the  other  two. 

Q.  77.  You  have  given  me  the  dimensions  of  the  prima- 
ry planets,  is  the  size  of  the  Sun  known? 

A.  The  maritime  powers  of  Europe  have  sent  their  best 
astronomers  with  proper  instruments,  to  various  parts  of 
the  Earth,  to  observe  the  passage  of  Venus  over  the  face 
of  the  Sun,  in  the  years  1761  and  '69.  Many  important 
purposes  in  astronomy  and  geography  were  to  be  answered 
by  their  observations,  and  providence  favored  their  lauda- 
ble endeavours,  by  sending  a  clear  day  every  where,  dur- 
ing the  planet's  passage.  Such  was  the  accuracy  observed 
by  a  thousand  telescopes,  and  the  best  time-keepers,  that 
the  Sun  was  discovered  to  be  not  82,  but  96,000,000  of 
miles  from  the  Earth.  His  distance  and  visible  diameter  be- 
ing known,  his  real  diameter  is  found  to  be  equal  to  100 
times  the  diameter  of  the  Earth,  or  800,000  miles  through 
his  body.  But  to  have  a  juster  idea  of  his  dimensions,  let 
me  bring  him  nearer.  Suppose  the  Earth  could  be  remov- 
ed, and  the  Sun  brought  into  its  place;  before  the  center 
of  the  Sun  arrived  where  the  center  of  the  Earth  is,  you 
would  see  him  push  the  Moon  out  160,000  miles,  and  extend 
the  same  distance  all  round,  just  as  your  ball  would  fill  a  hole 
of  the  same  size,  cut  in  a  sheet  of  paper. 

Q.  78.  Prodigious!  The  idea  terrifies  me.  Pray  in- 
form 


[     33    ] 

form  me  of  the  necessity  there  is  for  the  Sun  being  such  a 
vast  globe? 

A.  Could  you  have  a  steelyard  only  100  feet  long,  and 
40  different  weights  suspended  on  it  from  end  to  end,  some 
of  them  100  weight,  and  the  three  nearest  the  farther  end 
1000  weight  each;  consider  what  a  weight  must  that  be 
which  all  these  could  not  move.  But  in  this  very  position 
all  the  planets  were  600  years  ago.  Hence  conjecture  the 
necessity  for  the  vast  weight  and  dimensions  of  the  Sun,  which 
has  to  rule,  attract,  and  keep  in  their  stations,  so  many 
enormous  globes,  at  such  distances  from  him,  and  be  but 
little  affected  by  their  motions  and  attraction. 

Q.  79.     Has  the  Sun  no  motion  at  all? 

A.  The  Sun  has  certainly  two  motions.  The  attracti- 
on of  the  superior  planets  draws  him  a  little  from  his  place; 
so  that  he  makes  a  small  circle  as  they  move  round  him ;  and 
by  spots  observed  on  his  surface,  he  is  known  to  move  round 
on  his  center  in  25  days.  The  great  Herchell  has  publish- 
ed to  the  world,  that  the  Sun  moves  1,500,000  miles  every 
day.  If  so,  he  must  carry  all  the  planets  and  comets  with 
him,  as  his  satellites;  and  is  probably  himself  a  primary  pla- 
net to  some  vastly  more  enormous  center. 

Q.  80.     What  are  fixt  stars? 

A.  As  they  appear  through  the  best  telescopes  smaller 
than  they  do  to  the  naked  eye,  and  mere  shining  specks,  their 
distance  from  our  system  is  past  all  calculation ;  and  our  Sun 
appears  to  them  a  luminous  spot,  as  they  do  to  us.  They 
therefore  receive  no  more  light  from  our  Sun,  than  he  does 
from  them;  and  must  be  just  such  luminous  bodies  as  he  is, 
giving  light  and  heat  to  a  system  of  worlds  floating  round 
them,  as  he  does. 

Q.81.  More  and  more  wonderful!  at  this  rate  there  is 
no  knowing  the  extent  of  the  creation,  or  what  are  its  limits. 

A.  Nothing  can  set  limits  to  infinite  power,  which  has 
infinite  space  to  work  in. 

Q.  82.  But  what  can  all  the  supposed  worlds  be  made 
for?  and  particularly  what  can  the  planets  be  created  for? 

A.  To  prevent  you  and  me  from  stumbling  of  a  clear 
evening,  when  they  happen  to  be  above  the  horizon. 

Q.  83.     Pray  sir,  be  serious,  for  my  question  was  such. 

A.  Seriously  then,  I  refer  you  to  your  own  thoughts  on 
the  subject. 

Q.  84.     Let  me  consider. When  I  think  for  instance, 

of  the  planet  Jupiter;  that  he  is  1000  times  the  size  of  the 

E  globe 


[     34    ] 

globe  I  live  on ;  that  he  is  enlightened  by  the  same  Sun ; 
that  he  is  kept  in  his  orbit  by  the  same  attraction ;  that  he 
has  so  many  Moons  to  reflect  the  light  of  the  Sun  upon  him  ; 
that  he  has  more  than  two  days  and  nights  for  one  on  the 
Earth,  and  different  seasons  from  his  position  to  the  Sun; 
that  he  appears  in  all  these  respects  to  resemble  the  world  I 
live  on,  and  as  well  accommodated  for  the  dwelling  of  liv- 
ing creatures  as  it  is,  I  must  conclude  he  is  an  inhabited 
world,  and  appears  a  most  desirable  dwelling  for  rational 
creatures,  if  his  little  light  and  great  cold  do  not  prevent  it. 
But  is  my  reasoning  just? 

A.  To  me,  and  to  such  as  know  much  more  than  you 
and  I  do,  it  is  perfectly  just;  all  but  your  trifling  objection 
respecting  the  cold,  and  the  want  of  light.  HE  who  made 
man's  eye,  could  have  formed  it  to  see  as  well  by  the  Moon 
or  the  Stars  as  by  the  Sun.  Allow  him  the  same  power  and 
skill  in  the  upper  planets.  The  light  of  the  Sun  even  in 
Saturn,  is  a  thousand  times  as  great  as  the  light  of  the  full 
Moon  with  us;  and  in  Jupiter  it  is  3000  times  as  great. 
And  as  for  the  cold,  either  warm  exhalations  from  his  body, 
or  the  temperature  of  his  atmosphere  may  render  it  a  very 
comfortable  dwelling;  or  divine  wisdom  has  formed  the  bo- 
dies of  the  inhabitants  so  that  cold  shall  be  as  much  their  cho- 
sen element,  as  the  frigid  zones  with  us,  are  the  region  of 
numerous  creatures  that  could  not  live  in  a  temperate  cli- 
mate. 

Q.  85.  But  what  are  we  to  think  of  the  other  planets, 
and  their  use  in  the  creation? 

A.  I  return  your  question:  employ  your  own  thoughts 
upon  them. 

Q.  86.  I  am  afraid  to  say,  Mercury  is  too  hot  to  be  in- 
habited; because  I  am  sure  divine  power  can  form  creatures 
to  live  in  fire  as  happily  as  others  live  in  water.  Their  bo- 
dies therefore,  if  bodies  they  have,  are  much  more  refined 
than  ours,  and  perfectly  suited  to  their  warm  station.  Ve- 
nus seems  a  most  delightful  habitation  for  vigorous  spirits, 
whether  with  or  without  active  bodies.  Mars  is  15,000 
miles  in  compass,  and  I  must  not  suppose  that  part  of  GOD's 
creation  is  left  destitute  of  rational  and  animal  life.  And 
we  have  already  seen  that  cold  may  be  the  proper  element 
for  the  inhabitants  of  the  upper  planets.  But  what  are  we 
to  think  of  the  Moons? 

A.  The  Moons  you  know  are  all  made  of  green  cheese, 
and  fit  for  nothing  but  mites  te  live  in. 

Q.  87. 


[     35     ] 

Q.  87.  You  make  merry  sir,  with  my  ignorance;  but 
still  my  question  is  unanswered. 

A.  You  can  answer  it  yousrelf,  after  attending  to  a  few 
facts.  Our  Earth  was  never  seen  since  the  creation,  from 
either  of  the  three  upper  planets  or  from  their  Moons ;  for 
this  plain  reason  their  Moons  were  never  known  on  our 
world  to  have  existence,  till  200  years  ago,  when  telescopes 
were  invented ;  and  yet  some  of  their  Moons  are  much  lar- 
ger than  our  globe.  The  Georgian  and  his  two  Moons  have 
been  known  to  the  learned  but  very  few  years ;  and  yet  that 
planet  is  80  times  the  size  of  our  Earth.  They  are  not 
made  then  for  our  use,  no  more  than  we  are  made  for  theirs. 
All  the  Moons  in  the  system  have  as  much  light  and  heat 
from  the  Sun  as  the  primaries  they  attend ;  and  receive  much 
more  light  from  the  larger  planet  than  they  can  reflect  on 
him.  If  our  own  Moon,  the  least  in  the  system,  has  all  these 
advantages,  and  a  circumference  of  near  7000  miles,  with 
mountains,  valleys,  pitts,  and  level  plains,  and  some  other 
Moons  be  more  than  twenty  times  her  size — now  solve  your 
own  question. 

Q.  88.  As  the  SUPREME  BEING  has  made  nothing  in 
vain:  as  he  delights  to  multiply  his  creatures,  and  to  render 
them  as  happy  as  their  conduct  toward  him  and  each  other 
will  admit;  and  as  he  has  formed  fourteen  secondary  pla- 
nets that  appear  to  be  as  well  suited  to  the  accommodation  of 
rational  and  animal  life  as  the  primaries  are,  I  must  believe 
the  great  CREATOR  has  stockt  every  Moon  in  the  system 
with  creatures  capable  of  enjoying  his  goodness,  and  ador- 
ing his  wisdom  and  power.  Is  my  reasoning  just  and  conclu- 
sive? 

A.  You  will  soon  be  able  to  teach  me.  The  most  learn- 
ed astronomers  on  Earth  have  long  drawn  the  same  conclusi- 
on from  the  same  sure  premises.  All  the  creation  of  GOD 
abounds  with  proofs  of  his  infinite  power,  wisdom  and  good- 
ness. But  all  would  be  vain  and  useless  without  rational 
creatures  to  behold  and  to  study,  to  wonder  and  adore.  Yes, 
my  dear  pupil,  you  are  surrounded  with  wonders.  Never 
lift  your  eyes  to  the  glories  around  you, 

*  'Those  bright  temptations  to  idolatry . ' '  Young. 

But  with  the  most  humble  adoration ;  for 

"An  undevout  astronomer,  is  mad."  Young. 

You  have  now  a  plan  to  go  by.  You  will  see  the  Earth 
turning  her  side  to  the  Sun  in  the  morning,  and  your  meri- 
dian towards  him,  till  it  comes  directly  in  a  line  with  him  at 

midday, 


[     36     ] 

midday,  and  turns  from  him  till  he  disappears  in  the  west, 
and  rises  to  enlighten  other  nations.  You  will  see  the  Moon, 
from  the  change  to  the  full,  travelling  to  the  eastward,  be- 
twixt you  and  the  planets  and  the  fixt  stars;  and  leaving 
them  behind  her  to  the  westward,  about  50  minutes  in  24 
hours;  and  back  again  on  the  other  side  of  her  orbit,  de- 
creasing in  her  light  till  she  passes  again  betwixt  you  and  the 
Sun  at  her  change.  You  will  commence  acquaintance  with 
the  planets;  their  rising,  southing,  setting,  conjunctions, 
and  oppositions.  The  planets  are  sometimes  stationary,  or 
seem  to  stand  still  in  their  course:  at  other  times  retrograde, 
or  seem  to  go  backward  among  the  fixt  stars;  and  their  mo- 
tions appear  accelerated,  as  they  seem  to  go  faster  than  they 
really  do.  The  planets  never  stop,  never  move  back,  nor 
faster  in  one  part  of  their  orbit  than  another,  that  a  naked 
eye  can  discern;  but  these  appearances  arise  from  the  Earth's 
motion  in  the  several  parts  of  her  orbit,  as  well  as  from 
the  motion  of  the  inferior  planets  in  theirs.  If  you  will 
walk  round  a  tree  on  your  left  hand,  at  20  yards  distance ; 
and  another  person  100  yards  on  your  right  hand,  the  same 
course,  but  with  a  slower  step,  you  will  see  this  illustrated 
respecting  the  upper  planets.  The  tree  the  Sun,  you  the 
Earth,  the  other  person  Jupiter.  Then  if  you  change  pla- 
ces, and  call  yourself  the  Earth,  and  the  other  man  Venus 
or  Mercury,  you  will  see  it  as  it  takes  place  in  the  inferior 
planets;  for  by  a  few  rounds  you  must  understand  it. 

Q.  89.  The  labour  you  bestow  on  me  sir,  and  the  expe- 
riments you  set  me  on  so  easy  and  without  cost,  claim  my 
gratitude.  But  you  have  not  yet  told  me  the  dimensions  nor 
uses  of  the  comets? 

A.  And  for  a  very  good  reason;  I  am  not  acquainted 
with  them  myself.  But  take  what  little  I  know  of  them, 
which  does  not  merit  the  name  of  knowledge.  They  are 
larger  than  our  globe.  Their  uses  are  mere  conjecture. 
Some  judge  them  the  seats  of  punishment,  where  sinners  suf- 
fer the  extremes  of  heat  and  cold.  Mr.  Whiston  says,  a  co- 
met approaching  the  Sun ,  brushed  the  Earth  with  its  tail , 
and  caused  the  deluge ;  and  that  another  will  cause  the  con- 
flagration. Some  say  they  finally  fall  into  the  Sun,  and  supply 
him  with  fresh  fuel.  Others  ascribe  great  utility  to  them,  by 
supplying  the  planets  as  they  pass  through  their  orbits,  with 
recruits  of  water,  and  other  useful  fluids;  and  perhaps  car- 
rying the  filth  of  the  whole  system  out  of  the  way  of  doing 
injury.  They  are  surely  not  made  in  vain ;  but  we  can  only 
guess  at  their  use,  while  confined  to  Earth. 

Q.  90. 


[    37    ] 

Q.  90.  Having  surveyed  wonders  sufficient  to  bring  an 
infidel  to  his  knees,  and  to  animate  the  devotion  of  the 
most  devout;  may  we  now  return  to  Geography,  if , 'any  thing 
on  our  globe  be  worthy  of  notice,  after  the  more  illustrious 
scenes  we  have  passed  through? 

A.  It  is  true  our  world  is  but  a  speck  in  the  creation, 
and  yet  it  has  wonders  of  power  and  wisdom  belonging  to  it, 
sufficient  to  employ  the  deepest  researches  of  the  wisest  of 
men,  and  fresh  wonders  discovered  every  day;  and  it  has 
one  thing  to  glory  in,  above  all  the  creation  of  GOD. 

Q.  91.     What  is  that  pray? 

A.  It  is  that  great  gospel  truth,  GOD  so  loved  the  world, 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  A  world 
thus  redeemed,  is  well  worthy  of  our  notice.  We  return 
then  to  Geography,  or  that  description  of  countries,  cities, 
and  seaports,  without  the  knowledge  of  which,  no  person 
can  read  a  news-paper,  nor  follow  a  traveller  by  sea  or  land. 

Q.  92.     Where  will  you  begin  sir? 

A.  With  the  smallest,  but  most  improved  quarter  of  the 
world,  Europe,  and  with  the  most  western  part  of  it,  Spain 
and  Portugal.  This  last  mentioned  little  kingdom  borders 
on  Spain  to  the  east  and  north,  and  on  the  west  and  south 
it  is  bounded  by  the  Atlantic  ocean.  Its  most  frequented 
ports  are  Lisbon,  the  capital  city,  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Tagus,  and  Oporto  on  the  Douro.  Their  chief  exports  are 
wine.  It  has  several  other  ports,  as  St.  Ubes,  Lagos,  Faro, 
&c.  Its  population  2,000,000  of  souls;  300,000  of  whom  are 
said  to  be  ecclesiastics  of  both  sexes. 

Q.  93.     Has  Portugal  any  foreign  dominions? 

A.  It  owns  Brasil  in  South  America,  which  extends  2  or 
3000  miles  north  and  south,  on  the  Atlantic  to  the  east;  the 
river  Amazon  on  the  north,  and  La  Plata  on  the  south,  the 
two  largest  rivers  on  earth.  From  St.  Salvador,  the  chief 
city,  and  other  towns,  they  send  to  Europe  gold,  diamonds, 
pearls,  Brasil  wood,  tobacco,  hides,  sugar,  drugs,  &c. 
Brasil  is  supplied  with  negroes  from  the  Portugese  colonies 
in  Africa.  The  other  foreign  dominions  of  Portugal,  are 
the  Madeiras,  famous  for  wine;  the  Azores,  or  western 
Islands,  the  chief  of  which  are  St.  Michael,  Tercera,  Fay- 
al  and  Flores.  They  are  very  fruitful.  The  island  of  Goa 
on  the  Malabar  coast,  is  their  chief  port  in  the  East  Indies. 

Spain  is  a  very  large  kingdom,  700  miles  in  length,  and 
500  in  width,  including  Portugal;  it  is  bounded  on  the  north 

by 


[     38     ] 

by  the  bay  of  Biscay,  on  the  west  by  the  Atlantic  ocean  and 
Portugal,  on  the  south  and  east  by  the  Mediterranean,  and 
on  the- northeast  by  the  Pyrenean  mountains,  which  divide 
it  from  France.  It  is  composed  of  14  small  kingdoms.  The 
capital  city  is  Madrid,  in  the  middle  of  Spain,  and  lies  about 
3200  miles  east  of  Philadelphia.  The  principal  seaports  on 
the  north  and  west,  are  St.  Sebastian,  Bilboa,  Ovcido,  Fer- 
rol,  Corunna  and  Vigo.  On  the  south,  without  the  straits 
of  Gibraltar,  are  St.  Lucar,  Seville,  and  the  famous  port 
of  Cadiz.  Within  the  straits,  in  the  Mediterranean,  are 
Malaga,  Carthagena,  Alicant,  Valencia,  Barcelona,  Pala- 
mos  and  Roses,  with  three  islands  off  the  coast,  Majorca, 
Minorca  and  Yvica.  Its  inhabitants  are  9  or  10,000,000. 

Q.  94.     Has  Spain  any  foreign  dominions? 

A.  Spain  claims  as  much  territory  in  North  America, 
as  thrice  the  United  States;  extending  from  the  isthmus  of 
Darien,  to  the  polar  circle;  and  from  the  Pacific  ocean  on 
the  west,  to  Canada,  Missisippi  and  the  gulph  of  Florida, 
on  the  east.  In  such  a  vast  extent  of  coast  they  have  many 
ports  and  harbours,  the  chief  of  which  are  New-Orleans, 
on  the  Missisippi;  Vera  Cruz,  Campechy,  Honduras,  St. 
Jago  and  Porto  Bello,  on  the  gulph  of  Florida;  and  Aqua- 
pulcho  and  Panama,  on  the  Pacific.  These  dominions  con- 
tain Mexico,  New-Spain,  and  many  other  provinces.  Spain 
owns  in  South  America,  from  the  Carribean  sea  to  the  straits 
of  Magellan,  near  5000  miles  north  and  south,  and  about 
600  miles  wide,  containing  the  large  countries  of  Terra 
Firma,  New-Granada,  Amazonia,  Peru,  Chila,  Paragua, 
La  Plata,  &c.  The  chief  places  of  trade  are  Quito,  Cusco, 
the  capital  of  Lima,  Potosi,  rich  in  silver  mines,  Valparissa 
and  Baldavia,  on  the  Pacific  ocean:  and  Carthagena,  St. 
Martha,  Venezuela,  on  Terra  Firma.  In  Paragua,  As- 
sumption, St.  Jago,  and  Buenos  Ayers,  the  capital.  The 
maritime  powers  of  Europe  supply  the  Spaniards  with  vast 
quantities  of  goods,  for  their  American  dominions;  and  of 
course  carry  off  the  greatest  share  of  the  returns  in  gold,  sil- 
ver, cocoa,  cotton,  sugar,  cochineal,  Jesuits  bark,  and 
other  productions  of  Spanish  America.  And  the  Spaniards 
are  so  just  and  honourable,  that  they  never  have  deprived 
foreigners  of  their  share,  though  they  should  be  at  war  with 
the  nation  they  belong  to.  This  nation  also  owns  Cuba,  the 
largest  island  in  the  West-Indies,  with  its  famous  port  of 
Havanna.  Their  part  of  Hispaniola  they  have  ceded  to  the 
French  republic,  in  their  late  treaty  of  peace.  To  Spain 

also 


t     39     ] 

also  belong  Porto  Rico,  Trinidad,  and  some  other  American 
islands;  and  the  Philippines,  with  their  capital,  Manila,  in 
the  East-India  ocean. 

Q.  95.  Are  not  the  Spaniards,  with  such  amazing  ex- 
tent of  territory,  the  most  powerful  nation  on  earth,  and 
formidable  to  all  their  neighbours? 

A.  Their  aversion  to  industry,  and  their  dependence  on 
other  nations  for  what  their  own  would  abundantly  produce, 
is  the  grand  reason  why  they  are  neither  a  populous,  rich, 
nor  powerful  nation.  Their  bigotted  attachment  to  Pope- 
ry, drove  off  millions  of  industrious  Moors,  who  had  long 
resided  among  them:  America  has  drained  the  mother  coun- 
try of  millions  more;  and  the  multitude  of  clergy  and  nuns, 
who  never  marry,  are  a  great  drawback  on  the  population 
of  Spain. 

Q.  96.     What  country  will  you  next  describe? 

A.  France,  that  is  separated  from  Spain,  only  by  the 
Pyrenean  mountains,  and  lies  northeast  of  that  country,  is 
600  miles  in  length,  and  500  in  breadth;  and  was  formerly 
divided  into  a  number  of  provinces.*  But  since  the  revolu- 
tion France  is  divided  into  departments,  which  cannot  be 
understood  without  a  map.  However,  as  our  principal  con- 
cern is  with  their  seaports,  I  shall  describe  them,  after  ob- 
serving that  France  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  British 
channel,  on  the  west  by  the  bay  of  Biscay,  on  the  south  and 
southwest  by  Spain  and  the  Mediterranean,  and  on  the  east 
by  Italy,  Switzerland  and  Germany.  The  capital  city  is 
Paris,  up  the  river  Seine.  The  chief  ports  and  trading 
towns  in  the  north  of  France  on  the  channel,  are  Dunkirk, 
Calais,  Bologne,  Abbeville  on  the  river  Somme,  Dieppe, 
Havre  de  Grace  near  the  mouth  of  the  Seine,  Rouen  and 
Paris  higher  up  the  stream;  Caen,  Lifeux,  Cherbourg,  St. 
Malos,  Dinnan,  Moiiaix.  On  the  Atlantic,  the  famous 
port  of  Brest,  L' Orient,  Vannes,  Nantz  on  the  river  Loir, 
Rochelle,  Rochfort,  the  islands  of  Bellisle,  Ree  and  Oleron, 
Bourdeaux  on  the  river  Garonne,  and  Bayon,  near  the  bor- 
der of  Spain.  French  Ports  on  the  Mediterranean,  are  Per- 
pignan,  Narbonne,  Aries  on  the  river  Rhone,  Marseilles, 
Toulon,  Antibes  and  Nice.  Britain  has  taken  from  France 
during  the  present  war,  the  islands  of  Corsica,  Bastia,  its 
capital,  and  Pondicherry,  in  the  East-Indies;  Martinique, 
and  some  other  islands  in  the  West-Indies;  most  of  which 
they 

*  2he  idea  of  starving  them  out  is  given  up,  and  the  British  are  re- 
duced to  the  distress  to  'which  they  attempted  to  bring  the  French. 


[    40    ] 

they  have  retaken.  They  still  retain  the  islands  of  Bourbon 
and  Mauritius,  in  the  Indian  ocean,  east  of  Madigascar. 
The  French  in  1794,  conquered  the  ten  provinces  of  the 
Austrian  low  countries ;  and  brought  the  seven  provinces  of 
the  United  Netherlands  to  a  compliance  with  all  their  wishes. 
Heaven  grant  they  may  not  be  crushed  at  last,  especially  by 
the  powerful  naval  force  that  Britain  has  afloat  this  year. 
The  exports  of  France  are  numerous  and  valuable,  particu- 
larly in  wines,  the  best  and  greatest  varieties  the  world  pro- 
duces. The  population  of  France  is  estimated  from  20  to 
24,000,000  of  souls. 

Q.  97.     Whither  turn  you  next? 

A.  To  Italy,  which,  with  Spain  and  European  Turkey, 
make  the  southern  division  of  Europe.  This  fine  country  is 
about  800  miles  in  length,  from  northwest  to  southeast; 
and  from  120  to  400  in  breadth.  It  is  separated  from  France 
and  Switzerland  on  the  N.  W.  by  the  Alps,  the  highest  moun- 
tains in  Europe;  on  the  east  by  the  Adriatic  sea,  or  gulph  of 
Venice;  and  on  the  south  and  west  by  the  Mediterranean. 
The  chief  Italian  islands  are  Sicily,  Sardinia,  Corsica  &  Malta. 
Its  southern  parts  compose  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  or  of  the 
two  Sicilies;  Naples  the  capital,  and  most  populous  city  in 
Italy.  In  the  middle  part  lie  the  state  of  the  Church,  the 
Pope's  dominions,  the  capital  cities  Rome  and  Bologna. 
The  grand  dutchy  of  Tuscany,  Florence  the  capital.  The 
two  noted  republics  of  Venice  and  Genoa.  The  dukedoms 
of  Modena,  Parma  and  Milan.  The  upper  parts  of  Italy, 
are  the  dutchies  of  Savoy  and  Piedmont,  Turin  the  capital, 
whose  Duke  has  the  title  of  King  of  Sardinia;  the  chief 
town  of  which  island  is  Cagliari,  or  Calari.  The  principal 
ports  in  Italy  are  Nice,  Oneglia,  Finale,  Genoa,  Lucca,  a 
a  small  republic,  the  most  industrious  people  in  Italy,  and 
extremely  jealous  of  their  liberties;  Pisa,  Leghorn,  Piom- 
bino,  Civita-Vecchia,  Naples,  Salerno,  Rhegio,  Squilace, 
Farento,  Ravenna  and  Venice.  In  Sicily,  Messina,  Cata- 
nea,  Syracuse,  Trapano,  and  Polermo  the  capital.  Aetna, 
the  famous  volcano,  is  in  Sicily,  and  Vessuvius,  the  other 
is  within  7  miles  of  the  city  of  Naples.  The  Knights  of 
Malta  keep  some  gal  lies,  and  by  their  vow,  are  obliged  to 
be  at  constant  war  with  the  Turks,  Algerines,  &c.  The 
productions  of  Italy  are  corn,  oil,  wine,  marble,  silk,  fruits, 
cheese,  and  others.  Its  population  may  be  about  18,000,000. 

Q.  98.     Whither  next? 

A.     Across  the   Venetian  gulph  to  TURKEY   in   Europe, 

which 


[     41     ] 

which  is  about  1000  miles  in  length,  from  Chotzim,  near  the 
border  of  Poland,  to  the  southern  point  of  the  Morea;  and 
from  Oczakow,  on  the  Nieper,  to  Dalmatia  on  the  Adriatic, 
nearly  as  wide.  This  empire  contains  the  ancient  Pelepon- 
nesus,  now  Morea,  Achaia,  Greece,  Macedon,  Illyricum, 
Bulgaria,  Wallachia,  Moldavia  and  parts  of  Tartary.  The 
capital  of  the  whole  empire  is  Constantinople.  Its  princi- 
pal cites  and  ports  are  Asoph,  Kaffa,  Precop,  Oczakow, 
Belgorod,  Nicopoli,  Silistria,  Adrianople,  Constantinople, 
Salonichi,  Larissa,  Athens,  Lepanto,  Misistra,  Corinth, 
Butrinto,  Durazzo  and  Ragufa.  Its  chief  rivers  are  the 
Don,  the  Nieper,  the  Neister  and  the  Danube.  The 
Turkish  islands  are  Crete,  now  Candia,  Cyprus,  Rhodes, 
Negropont,  Samos,  Scio,  Mitelene,  Lemnos,  and  many 
others  in  the  Archipelago.  This  empire  in  Asia,  contains 
Asia  proper,  Pontus,  Capadocia,  Cilicia,  Galatia,  Bythinia, 
Caria,  Lydia,  Mysia,  Syria,  its  famous  ancient  capital  An- 
tioch,  and  Judea,  its  capital  Jerusalem  now  a  little  town, 
without  the  old  walls.  In  Africa  it  claims  Egypt,  its  capi- 
tal Grand  Cairo,  and  some  other  ports  on  the  mouths  of  the 
great  river  Nile.  The  Turks  are  Mehometans,  but  many 
Christians  and  Jews  among  them. 

We  now  turn  northwest  to  Germany,  which  lies  east  from 
France, and  is  about  the  same  dimensions.lt  is  divided  amongst 
perhaps  300  sovereign  Princes,  of  whom  the  Emperor  is  Chief; 
and  he  is  chosen  by  the  votes  of  eight  Electors ;  three  of  whom 
are  spiritual  and  five  secular,  viz.  the  Archbishop  of  Mentz, 
Treves  and  Cologne;  the  Electors  of  Saxony,  its  capital 
Dresden;  of  Bohemia,  its  capital  Prague,  though  this  has 
now  no  vote,  as  it  belongs  to  the  house  of  Austria;  the 
Elector  of  Bavaria,  its  capital  Munich;  of  Brandenburg, 
who  is  also  king  of  Prussia,  capital  city  Berlin;  of  the  Pa- 
latinate, capital  Heidelburg;  and  of  Hanover,  whose  Elector 
is  also  King  of  England.  To  these  are  to  be  added  a  num- 
ber of  Princes,  Dukes,  Marquisses,  Counts,  Bishops,  Abbots, 
and  several  free  cities  and  hansetowns,  who  are  all  repre- 
sented in  the  great  Diet  of  the  empire,  held  at  Ratisbon. 
Vienna  is  the  capital  of  all  Germany;  it  stands  on  the  Da- 
nube, and  is  the  imperial  residence.  This  large  and  popu- 
lous country  is  divided  into  ten  circles:  Upper  Saxony, 
Lower  Saxony,  Westphalia,  Upper  Rhine,  Lower  Rhine, 
Franconia,  Bohemia,  Austria,  Bavaria,  and  Swabia.  As 
Germany  lies  in  the  middle  of  Europe,  it  has  but  few  sea- 
ports; yet  it  carries  on  a  great  trade  by  its  noble  rivers,  the 

F  Danube, 


[    42     ] 

Danube,  and  its  numerous  branches;  the  Rhine,  which  di- 
vides it  from  France;  the  Moselle,  the  Weser,  the  Elbe, 
and  the  Oder.  On  the  Danube  are  the  cities  of  Belgrade, 
Buda,  Presburg,  Vienna,  Lintz,  Ratisbon,  Ingolstadt,  Augs- 
burg and  Ulm.  Up  the  Rhine,  from  the  United  Provinces, 
stand  the  cities  of  Cleves,  Wesel,  Dusseldorp,  Cologne,  Co- 
blentz,  Mentz,  Worms,  Spire,  Strasburg,  Brisac.  On  the 
river  Ems,  Enden  and  Munster.  On  the  Weser,  Jade, 
Bremen,  Verden,  and  Osnaburg.  On  the  Elbe  stand  Ham- 
burg, Dam,  Lunenburg,  Magdeburg,  Wittenburg,  Dres- 
den: and  on  the  Spree,  a  branch  of  Elbe,  stand  Potsdam 
and  Berlin,  and  betwixt  these  rivers,  the  trading  cities  of 
Lubec,  Wismar,  Rostock,  and  Stralsund.  On  the  Oder, 
Cammin,  Stetin,  Custrin,  Frankfort,  &c.  The  other  Frank- 
fort lies  on  the  Maine,  a  branch  of  the  Rhine.  The  popu- 
lation of  Germany  is  about  21,000,000.* 

Q.  99.     What  country  comes  next  in  order? 

A.  A  country  that  claims  the  attention  of  all  American 
citizens,  the  famous  Helvetic  Union,  or  Cantons  of  Switz- 
land;  but  we  must  climb  to  come  at  them,  for  their  dwelling 
is  among  the  lofty  show-crowned  Alps,  which  they  cultivate 
trom  bottom  to  top,  with  a  degree  of  industry,  which  no- 
thing but  their  love  of  freedom,  and  their  independent  spi- 
rit could  inspire.  This  brave,  hardy,  and  virtuous  people 
compose  thirteen  small  states,  viz.  Berne,  Zurich,  Schaff- 
hausen,  Basil,  Lucern,  Underwalden,  Uri,  Switz,  Friburg, 
Zug,  Soleure,  Apenzel  and  Glaris.  The  Orisons,  Geneva, 
St.  Gall,  and  some  other  small  republics,  are  allies  of  the 
Switzers.  Every  man  here  is  bred  a  farmer  or  tradesman, 
but  surely  a  soldier.  As  gaming  and  luxury  are  prohibited 
among  them,  their  youth  go  from  the  war-like  exercises  of 
wrestling,  running,  throwing  and  shooting,  to  books;  which 
laudable  custom  they  follow  through  life,  and  are  a  very 
knowing  people.  As  to  religion,  some  are  Papists,  but  the 
greatest  number  are  Calvinists.  They  are  so  very  jealous 
of  their  liberties,  and  so  well  prepared  to  defend  them,  that 
no  nation  has  given  them  disturbance  for  ages  past.  Neither 
are  they  cursed  with  the  spirit  of  conquest,  but  perfectly 
contented  with  their  romantic  mountains,  and  fruitful  val- 
lies,  both  which  they  have  rendered  a  paradise.  Some  of 
their  cantons  are  Aristocracies,  where  the  nobles  rule; 
others  are  Democracies,  where  the  people  chuse  their  legi- 
slators 

*  The  religion  of  this  empire  is  Papist,  Lutheran,  and    Calvinists, 
and  many  Jews. 


[    43     ] 

slators  and  rulers,  as  in  the  United  States;  others  are  a  mix- 
ture of  both  these ;  and  some  of  their  small  cantons  are  Oli- 
garchies, where  every  man  votes  in  legislation,  and  admi- 
nistration. Yet  such  is  the  virtue,  harmony,  equality  of 
fortune,  and  love  of  their  country  that  prevails  among  them, 
that  we  hear  of  no  discontent;  no  pretended  friends,  or  se- 
cret foes,  to  raise  a  clamour  against  their  government — 
and  if  any  disputes  arise,  they  are  quickly  quelled  by  reason 
and  authority.  They  have  generally  kept  a  number  of  their 
youth  in  foreign  service,  to  have  them  thoroughly  acquaint- 
ed with  the  military  art.  The  population  of  Switzerland 
is  estimated  at  2,000,000. 

Q.   100.     Whither   will   you   descend   from   this   highest 
ground  in  Europe? 

A.     To  the  very  lowest,  the  seven  provinces  of  the  United 
Netherlands,  commonly  called  the  States  of  Holland.      They 
were  called  Republics,  but  they  had  too  much  of  Monarchy 
in  the  person  of  their  Stadtholder,  and  too  much  of  Aristo- 
cracy in  their  high  and  mighty  Lords,  the  States-General, 
to  deserve  that  name.     The  provinces  are  Holland,    chief 
city   Amsterdam;    Overyssel,    chief  town   Daventer;    Guel- 
derland   and  Zutphen,   chief   town   Nameguen;    Friesland, 
chief  town  Lewarden;    Groningen  and  Utrecht,  towns  the 
same  name;   and  Zealand,  chief  town  Middleburg.     These 
states   were  part   of  the  seventeen   provinces   of  the  Low 
Countries,  that  revolted  against  the  oppressions  and  persecu- 
tions of  their  Sovereign,  that  gloomy  bigot,  Philip  II,  King 
of  Spain;   and  by  the  assistance  of  England,  after  a  long  and 
very  severe  struggle,  secured  their  independence,  while  the 
other  ten  were  again  reduced  under  the  Spanish  yoke,  and 
so  continued  till  the  Duke  of  Marlborough,  in  1706,  con- 
quered them  for  Charles  IV,  Emperor  of  Germany.     France 
soon  after  reduced  some  of  them,  and  all  the  remainder  in 
1794.     Their  names  are  Brabant,  capital  city  Brussels;   Ant- 
werp, Malines,  Limburg,   chief  town  Maestricht;    Namur, 
Hainault,    chief  town  Mons;    Luxemburg,  Cambresis,  chief 
town  Cambray;    Artois,  chief  town  Arras;    Flanders,   chief 
towns   Sluys,   Ghent,    Bruges,   Courtray,  Ypress,   Tournay, 
Lisle,  Dunkirk,  &c.     These  provinces   form   the   most   re- 
markable country  on  the  globe.     Part   of   them   are   gained 
from  the  sea,  by  vast  banks  of  earth,  raised  and  kept  up  at 
great  expence.     A  large  proportion  of  it  was  mere  swamp, 
among  the  mouths  of  great  rivers :     they  have  confined  the 
rivers  with  dykes,  and  drained  the  country  with  a  thousand 

canals, 


[    44     ] 

canals,  which  are  now  their  public  roads,  as  they  travel 
chiefly  in  covered  boats.  These  seven  little  spots,  scarcely 
the  size  of  seven  of  our  counties,  by  their  bravery,  industry, 
and  spirit  of  adventure,  arose  to  an  eminence  that  astonished 
the  whole  world.  The  fleets  they  fitted  out  both  for  war 
and  commerce,  enabled  them  to  form  settlements  in  all  parts 
of  the  world,  and  to  make  head  against  all  the  naval  power 
of  Britain,  in  numerous  desperate  engagements.  From  their 
possessing  the  Molucca  and  Banda  islands,  and  Ceylon  in  the 
East-Indies,  they  have  supplied  the  world  with  all  the  rich 
spices  for  ages  past;  and  their  possession  of  Cape  Good  Hope, 
the  southern  point  of  Africa,  enables  them  to  preserve  all 
their  eastern  settlements.  They  have  made  Batavia,  in  the 
island  of  Java,  the  finest  city  in  Asia.  They  possess  Surinam, 
in  South  America;  and  Curazza,  Eustatia,  and  some  other 
ports  in  the  West-Indies,  exceedingly  profitable  to  them; 
but  which  no  other  nation  would  have  thought  of  improving. 
One  third  of  the  commerce  of  the  world  has  been  in  their 
hands  200  years.  Though  their  taxes  are  higher  than  those 
of  any  other  nation,  yet  they  all  lay  up  money.  They  are 
said  to  catch  eight  millions  sterling  worth  of  herrings  annu- 
ally, on  the  coast  of  Scotland,  and  in  the  channel.  Their 
soil  not  being  firm  enough  to  build  their  cities  on,  they  drove 
numberless  trees  pointed  at  one  end,  into  their  ground  for 
a  foundation;  and  one  single  building,  the  state  house  in 
Amsterdam,  has  more  than  13,000  such  poles  under  it.  The 
Dutch  in  their  turns  saved  England  from  popery  and  arbi- 
trary power,  by  sending  over  their  Stadtholder,  William 
Prince  of  Orange,  with  a  fleet  and  army,  who  drove  off  the 
popish  King  James  II,  his  father-in-law,  a,nd  had  the  British 
crown  for  his  pains.  Their  population  is  estimated  at  two 
millions  and  an  half,  which  on  so  small  a  spot,  makes  it  five 
times  as  populous  as  so  much  of  England.  The  Dutch  are 
Calvinists,  but  all  nations  and  religions  are  tolerated  among 
them,  though  only  Presbyterians  have  a  share  in  the  Govern- 
ment. Their  immense  trade  has  rendered  these  provinces 
the  emporium  of  Europe.  They  have  lately  expelled  their 
Stadtholder,  and  declared  themselves  a  Republic.  War 
with  Britain  must  prove  extremely  pernicious  to  the  Dutch, 
as  their  fleets  must  pass  very  near  to  Britain,  whether 
through  the  channel  or  north  about,  before  they  can  arrive 
at  home,  from  any  of  their  foreign  settlements.  How  they 
are  to  get  through  this  year,  secure  their  trade  from  the 
British  cruisers,  and  establish  their  infant  republic,  America 
waits  with  anxiety  to  know.  Q.  101. 


[    45     ] 

Q.  101.     Whither  stear  you  next? 

A.  Due  west,  and  90  miles  of  sea  will  bring  us  to  the 
coast  of  England,  the  southern  division  of  Britain,  Scot- 
land being  the  northern. 

England  has  on  the  east  the  German  sea,  on  the  south  the 
British  channel,  on  the  west  St.  George's  channel  and  the 
Irish  sea,  which  separates  it  from  Ireland,  and  Scotland  on 
the  north.  Its  length  380  miles;  its  greatest  breadth  300; 
but  it  narrows  all  the  way  north  to  Berwick.  It  contains 
near  50,000  square  miles.  London  the  capital,  stands  on 
the  river  Thames,  in  lat.  51  30,  that  is  1000  miles  north 
of  this  state,  and  more  than  3000  east.  Since  we  now  have 
a  right  by  treaty,  to  enter  the  British  ports,  it  is  of  import- 
ance to  Americans  to  know  them.  As  you  sail  up  the  chan- 
nel, France  on  the  right  and  Cornwall  on  the  left,  you  have 
Pensance,  Falmouth,  Penryn,  Tregony,  Fowey,  east  and 
west  Looe,  and  Saltash.  In  Devonshire  are  Plymouth, 
Dartsmouth,  Totness,  Torbay,  Exmouth,  Topsham  and  Ex- 
eter. In  Dorsetshire,  Lime,  Portland,  Weymouth,  Dor- 
chester, Wareham  and  Pool.  In  Hampshire,  Lymington, 
Southampton,  Gosport,  the  famous  harbor  of  Portmouth, 
and  some  ports  in  the  Isle  of  Wight.  In  Sussex,  Chichester, 
Hastings,  Winchelsea  and  Rye.  In  Kent  are  Romney,  Hyth, 
Dover,  Deal,  Sandwich,  Chatham,  Rochester,  Gravesend 
and  Woolwich.  In  Middlesex,  London;  and  higher  up  the 
Thames  are  Kingston,  Hampton,  Windsor,  Reading,  Wal- 
lingford  and  Oxford.  In  Essex,  Maiden,  Colechester  and 
Harwich.  In  Suffolk,  Ipswich,  Aldborough,  Dunwich  and 
Lestoff.  In  Norfolk,  great  Yarmouth,  and  Lynn  Regis. 
In  Lincolnshire,  Boston,  Grimsby  and  Burton.  In  York- 
shire, Hull,  Scarborough  and  Whitby.  In  Durham,  Har- 
tlepool,  Sunderland  and  Shields.  In  Northumberland,  New- 
Castle,  Morpeth,  Alnwick  and  Tweedmouth.  We  now 
follow  the  line  that  separates  England  and  Scotland,  up  the 
Tweed,  and  along  the  Cheviot  hills  to  the  Solway  frith, 
the  English  and  Welsh  ports  on  the  Irish  sea,  St.  George's 
channel,  and  up  the  river  Severn,  are  Carlyle,  Cocker- 
mouth,  Whitehaven,  Kirby,  Kendall,  Lancaster,  Preston, 
Liverpool,  Chester,  St.  Asaph,  Bangor,  Carnarvan,  Har- 
loch,  Cordigan,  St.  David's,  Haverford-West,  Milford- 
Haven,  Pembroke,  Landaff,  Cardiff,  Gloucester,  Bristol, 
Bridgewater,  Barnstable,  Camelford,  Padslow  and  St.  Ives. 
The  population  of  England  6  or  7,000,000. 

We  now  turn  to  Scotland,  the  northern  part  of  Britain. 

Its 


[     46     ] 

Its  length  300  miles;  its  breadth  where  widest  190.  It  has 
England  to  the  south,  the  German  sea  to  the  east,  and  other 
parts  of  the  Atlantic  to  the  north  and  west.  Its  chief  ports 
on  the  east  are  Berwick,  Haldington,  Leith  the  port  town 
of  Edinburg  the  capital  city,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Clyde; 
St.  Andrews,  Dundee,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tay.  Perth 
16  miles  higher  up  the  river.  North  from  the  Tay  are 
Ardbroath,  Montroses,  old  and  new  Aberdeen,  Forres, 
Inverness,  Nairn,  Dingwall,  Dornock.  North  of  Scot- 
land are  the  islands  of  Orkney  and  Shetland.  On  the  west 
are  the  islands  of  Lewis,  Skye,  Mull,  Jura,  Isla,  Contyre, 
Arran,  and  many  others,  abounding  with  excellent  fishing 
ports,  though  but  little  trade,  till  you  come  to  the  river 
Clyde,  where  stands  the  noted  port  of  Glasgow,  other  trad- 
ing towns,  and  the  famous  canal,  that  goes  from  the  Clyde 
to  the  Forth.  The  chief  ports  on  the  south  are  Wigton, 
Kelly,  Kirkudbright  and  Dumfries.  The  population  of 
Scotland  must  exceed  two  millions. 

We  now  pass  to  Ireland,  60  miles  west  from  England, 
and  20  miles  southwest  from  Scotland.  It  is  bounded  on 
the  north,  west  and  south  by  the  Atlantic,  and  on  the  east 
by  the  Irish  sea  and  St.  George's  channel.  It  is  divided 
into  four  provinces,  Munster  on  the  south,  Leinster  on  the 
east,  Ulster  on  the  north,  and  Cannaught  on  the  west.  Its 
chief  ports  on  the  east,  from  south  to  north,  are  Kinsale, 
Cork,  Cloyne,  Lismore,  Waterford,  Wexford,  Wicklow, 
Dublin  the  capital,  Drogheda,  Dundalk,  Dundrum,  Down- 
patrick,  Belfast,  Corrickfergus.  On  the  north,  Bally  castle, 
Colrain,  Londonderry.  On  the  west,  Donegal,  Sligo,  Kil- 
lala,  Galway,  Limerick  on  the  river  Shannon,  and  Dingle. 
On  the  south,  Bantry,  Baltimore  and  Ross.  The  exports 
of  Ireland  are  beef,  pork,  butter,  tallow,  hides,  wool, 
woolen  yarn,  fish,  but  above  all,  vast  quantities  of  linen 
cloth.  The  Irish  assert  that  their  population  is  three  millions. 
The  English  church  is  here  established. 

The  British  dominions  abroad  are  numerous  and  expensive. 
In  North  America,  Canada,  Nova-Scotia,  St.  John's,  Cape 
Breton,  Newfoundland,  and  some  settlements  in  Hudson's 
bay.  In  the  West-Indies  she  owns  a  number  of  islands,  too 
well  known  to  need  being  named.  In  Spain  they  hold  Gi- 
braltar. Some  forts  and  settlements  in  Africa.  Very  ex- 
tensive dominions  in  the  East-Indies,  by  conquering  the 
Princes  of  the  country,  under  various  pretences;  and  it  is 
supposed  they  have  now  15,000,000  of  the  inhabitants  their 

subjects. 


[     47     ] 

subjects.  However,  in  the  late  treaty,  they  have  granted 
to  the  ships  of  the  United  States,  access  to  their  ports  in  that 
rich  and  extensive  country ;  for  which  America  has  no  equi- 
valent to  grant.  Their  chief  ports  there  are  Bombay,  Pon- 
dicherry,  Madrass,  Calcutta,  and  many  others  on  the  bay  of 
Bengal,  and  the  famous  river  Ganges;  and  Bencoolen  in 
the  island  of  Sumatra. 

We  now  cross  over  the  German  sea,  to  Denmark,  on  the 
east  of  it.  This  northern  kingdom  has  Norway  on  the  north, 
Sweden  over  the  sound  on  the  east,  and  Germany  to  the 
south.  It  lies  at  the  entrance  into  the  Baltic  sea,  and  re- 
ceives toll  from  all  ships  that  pass.  Denmark  is  240  miles 
in  length,  and  about  100  broad.  Copenhagen  the  ca- 
pital, lies  in  the  island  of  Zealand,  and  is  the  residence  of 
the  King,  and  the  chief  place  of  trade,  though  they  have 
many  other  good  ports.  Norway  belongs  to  Denmark,  and 
from  its  chief  town  Bergen  and  other  ports,  it  sends  abroad 
vast  quantities  of  all  kinds  of  timber  and  naval  stores.  This 
country  owns  Tranquebar  in  the  East  Indies;  St.  Thomas's, 
St.  Cruiz,  and  St.  John's  in  the  West-Indies;  and  several 
islands  in  the  Baltic.  It  claims  a  part  of  Lapland,  the  islands 
of  Iceland,  east  and  west  Greenland,  and  Spitzbergen;  and 
carries  on  a  considerable  trade  in  the  Mediterranean.  Den- 
mark figures  as  a  maritime  power,  and  can  fit  out  50  or  60 
ships  of  war.  The  population  of  all  the  Danish  dominions 
may  be  estimated  at  2,400,000.  The  religion  of  Denmark 
is  Lutheran. 

Sweden  is  separated  from  Denmark  on  the  west,  by  the 
sound,  and  from  Norway  by  impassable  mountains.  It  has 
Lapland  on  the  north,  the  Russian  empire  on  the  east;  and 
on  the  south  the  Baltic  sea,  and  by  that  arm  of  it  that  makes 
up  to  Petersburg,  in  Russia,  called  the  gulph  of  Finland. 
Sweden  is  800  miles  in  length,  and  500  in  breadth;  but  fro- 
zen lakes  and  mountains  render  great  part  of  it  uninhabita- 
ble. It  produces  not  grain  sufficient  for  home  consumption. 
The  principal  ports  in  Sweden  are  Abo,  Wasa,  Ulea,  Torne, 
Pithea,  Sunwald,  Stockholm  the  capital  of  Christiansand,  &c. 
and  Gothenburg;  from  which  they  export  large  quantities  of 
iron,  copper,  lead,  timber  for  all  uses,  hides,  furs,  potash, 
flax,  hemp,  cordage,  fish,  sail  cloth,  &c.  They  have  ports 
in  the  Baltic  islands  of  Rugen,  Ocland,  Gothland  and  Alland. 
Stockholm  lies  in  lat.  60,  the  same  parallel  with  Petersburg, 
in  Russia,  Bergen,  in  Norway,  and  Hudson's  bay,  in  N.  A- 
merica;  so  it  is  1600  miles  north  of  this  state,  and  4000  to 

the 


[     48     ] 

the  eastward.  In  the  reign  of  that  military  madman,  Charles 
XII,  Sweden  lost  nearly  all  her  dominions  in  Germany, 
while  Peter  of  Russia  took  from  it  the  fruitful  provinces  of 
..Livonia,  Esthonia,  Ingria,  Careliaand  others.  The  Swedes 
have  no  foreign  colonies;  but  they  trade  in  their  own  bot- 
toms, and  frequently  sell  ship  and  cargo.  That  they  have 
not  lost  all  the  martial  spirit  of  their  ancestors,  appears  from 
their  late  naval  engagements  with  the  Russians;  in  which, 
though  they  lost  some  ships,  to  superior  numbers,  yet  they 
were  a  dear  purchase  to  their  enemies.  The  population  of 
Sweden  does  not  exceed  three  millions.  The  Lutheran  re- 
ligion is  here  established. 

Q.  102.     What  country  will  you  next  describe? 

A.  Russia  or  Muscovy,  which  is  bounded  by  Sweden  and 
the  Baltic  on  the  west,  by  the  frozen  ocean  on  the  north, 
and  including  Siberia  and  Russian  Tartary,  on  the  east  by  the 
eastern  ocean,  and  on  the  south  and  southeast  by  Poland, 
Turkey,  the  Euxine  sea,  Georgia,  the  Caspian  sea,  and 
Chinese  Tartary,  This  mighty  empire  is  as  large  as  all  the 
rest  of  Europe;  but  its  present  Sovereign  Catherine  II,  not 
content  with  her  immense  dominions,  has  conquered  some 
valuable  provinces  in  Turkey;  and  to  the  disgrace  of  all 
Europe  has  divided  Poland  with  two  other  free-booters,  the 
Emperor  of  Germany  and  King  of  Prussia.  She  has  done 
many  popular  things  in  her  own  country;  and  had  she  con- 
fined her  great  talents  to  the  arts  of  peace,  her  memory 
might  have  been  blessed,  could  the  world  ever  have  forgot 
her  concurring  in  the  murder  of  her  husband,  Peter  III,  and 
usurping  his  throne,  which  he  has  filled  these  thirty-three 
years.  Russia  has  a  considerable  fleet  of  ships  of  war,  both 
in  the  Baltic  and  Black  seas ;  which  with  a  mighty  army 
by  land,  are  the  terror  and  annoyance  of  all  her  neighbours. 
This  empire  carries  on  a  great  trade  by  land  to  China  and 
other  nations;  and  from  the  seaports  of  Archangel,  on  the 
White  sea,  Cola  on  the  North  sea;  from  Wiburg,  Peters- 
burg the  capital,  Narva  and  Rovel  on  the  gulph  of  Finland; 
and  from  Perneau,  Riga  and  Mittau  on  the  Baltic,  they  ex- 
port furs  and  skins,  linen,  iron,  copper,  timber,  naval 
stores,  hemp,  flax,  sail  cloth,  wax,  honey,  tallow,  linseed 
oil,  potash,  train  oil,  musk,  rhubarb,  raw  silk,  &c.  The 
three  ports  conquered  from  Turkey,  on  the  Black  sea,  Kaf- 
fa,  Precop  and  Oczakow,  are  made  free  ports.  Were 
Russia  as  populous  as  Holland  or  China,  half  the  people  on 
the  globe  might  reside  on  it;  but  from  20  to  24,000,000  are 

its 


[    49     ] 

its  estimated  population,  without  including  her  usurpations 
in  Poland  and  Lithuania,  which  must  amount  to  five  or  six 
millions  more.  The  religion  of  Russia  is  the  Greek  church. 
The  last  nation  not  described  in  Europe,  is  abandoned, 
lost  and  ruined  Poland,  a  country  more  than  600  miles 
square,  containing  14,000,000  of  inhabitants.  It  is  called 
a  Republic,  because  the  nobles  are  every  thing  there.  They 
own  the  soil,  and  the  peasants  on  it,  just  as  they  do  the 
cattle.  The  common  people  own  no  property,  and  are  not 
known  in  their  laws.  The  Polish  nobles  however,  will  have 
a  King,  and  the  Russian  Court  generally  influences  their 
choice,  which  is  made  in  a  full  Diet  of  the  nobility;  and 
there  must  not  be  a  dissenting  voice,  as  the  minority  are  in 
danger  of  being  instantly  cut  in  pieces.  Their  present  King, 
Count  Poniatowski,  they  choose  from  among  themselves: 
he  has  wore  their  crown  32  years;  to  him  a  crown  of  thorns, 
under  the  title  of  Stanislaus  Augustus ;  but  too  limitted  in 
his  power  to  do  the  good  he  is  inclined  to.  Popery  is  the 
established  religion  of  Poland;  but  they  have  among  them 
a  number  of  dissenters  whom  they  call  Dissidents,  who, 
twenty  odd  years  ago,  claimed  some  privileges,  which  were 
denied  them  on  account  of  their  religion.  A  bloody  civil 
war  ensued.  Russia  and  Prussia  interposed,  and  insidiously 
assisted  the  Dissidents,  till  by  war,  famine  and  pestilence, 
three  millions  of  people  were  cut  off,  or  fled  the  country; 
and  then  Russia,  Prussia  and  Austria  very  graciously  deter- 
mined, that  Poland  was  too  large  to  be  governed,  and  they 
condescended  to  divide  nearly  one  half  of  it  among  them. 
In  the  part  left  to  Poland,  the  King  had  influence  sufficient 
to  prevail  with  the  princes  and  noblesse  to  declare  the  com- 
mon people  no  longer  things,  but  men,  whose  lives  should 
no  longer  be  at  the  mercy  of  tyrants;  but  should  be 
known  in  law,  become  tenants  and  own  property.  This  step 
toward  human  liberty  alarmed  the  three  aforenamed  pow- 
ers, who  fearing  their  drudges  might  expect  equal  indul- 
gence, and  coveting  the  remainder  of  Poland,  have  actually 
divided  it  among  them;  the  Russian  tyranness  having  confin- 
ed the  dethroned  King  to  Grodno,  under  pretence  of  keep- 
ing him  out  of  harm's  way.  A  vigorous  protest  of  the  ma- 
ritime powers,  would  have  prevented  this  grand  breach  of 
the  balance  of  power  in  Europe;  yet  no  nation  interposed, 
but  the  Turks,  who  greatly  suffered  for  their  kindness,  by 
bringing  all  the  vengeance  of  Russia  upon  them.  It  would 
now  appear  just,  for  Heaven  to  suffer  the  Russian  empire  to 

G  subju- 


t     50     ] 

subjugate  half  of  Europe;  which  indeed  they  seem  in  a  fair 
way  to  do;  whilst  America,  safe  in  her  distance  from  the 
bloody  scene,  in  the  wisdom  of  her  government,  and  in  the 
unparalleled  increase  of  her  population  and  improvements, 
views  with  safety,  the  catastrophe,  and  pities  human  infatu- 
ation. Poland  carried  on  a  great  trade  by  her  rivers,  the 
Devina,  the  Boristhenes  or  Neiper,  the  Bog,  the  Neister, 
but  especially  down  the  Vistula,  to  the  famous  port  of  Dant- 
zic,  which,  with  the  city  of  Thorpe,  the  late  Frederick  of 
Prussia  seized  upon,  and  bought  up  the  immense  quantity  of 
grain  that  came  down  to  them,  with  base  metal,  and  sold  it 
out  for  good  coin.  But  kings  may  do  that  with  impunity, 
which  would  hang  ten  thousand  petty  rogues.  Whether 
these  plunderers  will  quarrel  about  the  division  of  their 
spoils,  or  whether  the  Turks,  S weeds  and  Danes  may  have 
power  sufficient  to  restore  Poland,  is  very  doubtful;  but 
surely  there  is  a  God  who  rules  in  the  earth,  and  will,  soon- 
er or  later,  vindicate  the  cause  of  oppressed  nations.  The 
chief  cities  of  Poland  are  Warsaw  the  capital,  Cracow, 
Dantzic  a  free  city,  dependent  on  Poland,  Thorne,  Guesna, 
Lernburg,  Caminieck,  Lucho,  Brisici,  Bielh,  Grodno,  Wil- 
na,  and  Rasiem.  Poland  being  a  level  and  rich  soil,  abound- 
ing with  timber,  of  course  exports  vast  quantities  of  grain, 
flesh  meat,  and  wood  for  all  uses.  Thej7  have  mines  of  silver, 
copper,  iron  and  coal;  and  the  wonderful  salt  mines  near 
Cracow,  before  the  German  tyrant  seized  on  them,  were 
the  principal  support  of  the  crown.  Many  springs  are  boil- 
ed into  salt.  The  waters  of  one  fountain  preserve  the  lives 
of  the  neighbouring  inhabitants  from  100  to  150  years.  The 
water  is  as  inflammable  as  the  most  ardent  spirits.  The  flame 
does  not  heat  the  water;  but  if  neglected,  makes  sad  de- 
struction among  the  adjoining  lands  and  timber. 

Q.  103.     Whither  turn  you  next? 

A.  To  Asia,  the  largest  quarter  of  the  globe,  on  which 
man  was  first  created,  and  still  the  most  populous.  Here  the 
human  race  were  first  propagated  after  the  deluge.  Here 
laws  were  first  framed;  government  was  established,  and 
the  sciences  cultivated,  while  the  other  quarters  of  the  globe 
were  the  range  of  wild  beasts.  Here  the  Almighty  gave  to 
a  chosen  people,  a  divine  law,  and  preserved  among  them 
that  great  foundation  of  all  truth — the  unity  of  the  Divine 
Being.  In  Asia  the  SON  of  GOD  became  incarnate,  lived, 
suffered,  died  and  rose  again,  and  propagated  the  Christian 
religion  to  all  nations.  The  air,  the  soil,  the  fruits,  and 

produc- 


[     51     ] 

productions  of  Asia,  both  above  and  below  the  surface,  as 
well  as  their  manufactories,  excel  those  of  all  nations.  This 
quarter  of  the  world  is  about  4500  miles  each  way,  bounded 
on  the  west  by  the  Red  sea,  the  Mediterranean  and  Europe; 
on  the  north  by  the  frozen  sea;  on  the  east  by  the  eastern; 
and  on  the  south  by  the  Indian  ocean.  It  contains  the  ex- 
tensive countries  of  Siberia,  eastern  and  western  Tartary, 
and  Arabia— the  empires  of  Turkey,  Persia,  India  and 
China.  Its  islands  are  numerous  and  very  large.  They  are 
Japan,  the  Philippines,  New-Guinea,  Celebes,  Borneo, 
Sumatra,  Java,  and  numerous  others.  The  island  of  New- 
Holland  is  as  large  as  all  Europe;  to  Botony  bay  in  that 
island,  the  British  banish  all  their  rogues  and  republicans. 
Asia  is  believed  to  contain  500,000,000  of  souls,  which  are 
half  the  number  on  the  globe;  and  of  these,  China  is  said 
to  contain  200,000,000.  Pekin  is  the  capital  of  China;  and 
its  two  great  trading  cities,  frequented  by  Europeans  and 
Americans,  are  Nankin  on  the  east,  and  Canton  on  the  south. 
In  Asia  are  some  Christians,  some  Mahometans;  but  the 
greater  number  are  Pagons  and  gross  Idolaters. 

Africa  offers  next,  more  remarkable  for  size  than  for  cul- 
tivation or  improvement.  Bounded  on  the  east  by  the  isth- 
mus of  Suez,  the  Red  sea  and  the  Indian  ocean;  on  the 
south  by  the  southern  ocean;  on  the  west  by  the  Atlantic, 
and  on  the  north  by  the  Mediterranean.  The  kingdoms  of 
Egypt,  Syrene,  Numidia,  and  the  famous  republic  of  Car- 
thage, made  a  great  figure  in  ancient  history.  But  the  scum 
of  Arabia  and  Turkey  now  possess  those  fertile  countries, 
under  the  names  of  Tripoli,  Tunis,  Algiers  and  Morocco, 
so  many  nests  of  pirates,  who  keep  all  trading  nations  under 
contribution;  or  they  will  make  prizes  of  their  ships,  and 
slaves  of  their  crews.  This  quarter  of  the  globe  extends 
from  the  Mediterranean,  on  the  coast  Tunis  and  Algiers,  in 
lat.  37  north,  to  Cape  Good-Hoop,  in  lat.  34  south,  near 
5000  miles  in  length;  and  froin  the  entrance  of  the  Red  Sea 
on  the  east,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Niger  and  Senegal  on  the 
west,  nearly  4000  miles.  Its  internal  parts  are  little  known, 
and  as  yet  unexplored  by  travellers.  Most  trading  nations 
have  forts  and  factories  on  the  western  coast,  from  whence 
they  procure  slaves,  gold  dust,  ivory,  gums,  <fec.  Mada- 
gascar on  the  east,  is  the  largest  African  island;  though  no 
European  power  has  settlements  on  it. 

We  come  in  the  last  place  to  the  freest,  happiest,  most 
plentiful  part  of  the  globe;  and  the  farthest  removed  from 

tyranny, 


[     52     ] 

tyranny,  wars,  and  those  commotions  that  curse  and  agita 
the  nations.  We  come  to  a  land  in  all  its  youthful  vigou 
undebilitated  by  the  luxury,  vices  and  old  age  of  the  easte 
nations:  a  country  in  which  the  Laws  rule,  and  not  me 
where  life  and  property  are  in  perfect  security,  and  wh( 
the  happy  inhabitants  may  confide  in  those  who  legislate, 
those  who  rule,  and  in  those  who  judge;  because  they  c 
remove  them  all  at  their  pleasure. — A  country  in  which  i 
ligion  is  unrestrained;  morality  in  repute;  education 
moted;  marriage  honourable,  and  age  reverenced. 

Q.  104.     Pray  sir,  where  lies  this  terrestrial  paradise? 

A.     Within    the   limits   of  the  UNITED  STATES;   a 
the  spot  you  stand  on,  makes  a  part  of  it.  This  quarter  of  t 
globe  was  discovered  by  the  adventurous  genius  of  Christop, 
Columbus,  and  should  be  called  by  his  name,  as  he  was  seve 
years  prior  to  Amerscus   Vesputius.     If  this  change  of  nai 
should  ever  take  place,  the  Congress  must  do  it; but  I  apprehefj 
every  state  in  the  union  can  annihilate  those  names  of  pla 
that  insult  our  ears  with  discarded  royalty;    reduce  them 
a  true  Columbian  nomenclature,  and  let  the  name  and  th: 
sink  together.     Europe  is  the  mother  country  of  Americ^ 
but  that  Britain  and  Ireland  take  the  lead  in  its  populate 
is   evident,    from  the  amazing  uniformity  with    which 
English  language  is    pronounced  through  the  whole  uni( 
from  the  mountains  to  the  sea ;  a  thing  unknown  in  any  : 
or  nation;  as  a  river  or  a  ridge  of  hills  have  different 
lects  on  each  side  of  them — and  people  from  distant  shim 
England  can  with  difficulty  understand   each  other. 
middle  and  southern  states  were  chiefly  settled  by  colon 
under   proprietors,    or   the  crown:     But  New-England 
settled    by   real  refugees,  who  sought  an  asylum  from 
persecutions  of  Archbishop  Laud,  his  suffragans  and  bigo 
King  Charles  I.     Wherever  Europeans  landed,  they  foi 
the  bays  and  borders  of  rivers  occupied  by  numerous  tri 
of    hostile   Indians,  whose  very  names  are  forgotten, 
whose  broken  remains  are  driven  to  the  westward.     By  < 
tivating  a  liberal  soil ;    by  the  arrival  of  fresh  adventur^ 
and  by  exporting  their  superfluities,  the  fruits  of  their 
nest  labour,   the  colonies  grew  up  towards  vigorous  yoi 
although  the  King  and  proprietors  nominated   the  Go 
nors,  Council,  or  upper  House  of  Assembly,  and  the  Judg 
and  although  religious  establishments,  those  usurpations 
the  Divine  Prerogative,   and  chains  of  conscience  and  1 
ral  thought,  had  taken   place  in  most  of  the  colonies. 


[    53     ] 

in  made  laws  to  regulate  our  trade,  and  secure  it  to  her- 
If,  to  which  no  opposition  was  made;  for  there  were  not 
more  loyal  people  on  earth  than  the  inhabitants  of  the 
ie  colonies.  Laws  formed  by  our  representatives,  must 
ive  the  advantage  of  Britain  evidently  in  their  face,  or 
tey  would  not  pass  the  consent  of  those  limbs  of  royalty, 
<e  Council  and  Governor;  and  even  after  their  concurrence, 
must  pass  the  approbation  of  the  King  and  his  Council  at 
restminster.  Thus  the  crown  had  three  votes  in  four,  for 
e  passing  of  every  law.  But  not  satisfied  with  the  quan- 
;ies  of  goods  of  all  kinds,  we  took  off  their  hands,  on 
Mch  they  laid  what  prices  and  what  duties  they  pleased  ; 
>r  with  their  vast  gains  from  the  valuable  raw  materials 
at  them  annually  in  return,  they  made  an  attempt  for 
ore  direct  revenues,  by  sending  in  stampt  paper,  to  sell  at 
high  price,  and  on  which  all  business  was  to  be  transacted, 
wspapers  printed,  &c.  To  this  the  colonies  made  such 
position,  that  not  a  single  sheet  was  sold.  Parliament  re- 
eled the  act,  but  passed  a  clause  in  these  words,  "That 
:itain  had  a  power  and  right  to  bind  the  colonies  by  laws 

her  making,  IN  ALL  CASES  WHATSOEVER."  When  this 
It,  which  annihilated  our  assemblies,  and  reduced  us  from 
|bjects  to  slaves,  was  attempted  to  be  reduced  to  practice 

an  experiment  on  tea,  the  cargoes  were  either  sunk  in 

sea,  or  suffered  to  rot  in    warehouses;  and  not  a  single 

und  was  sold.     Britain  backed  her  claims  with  a  fleet  and 

iy,  and  the  devoted  town  of  Boston  felt  the  first  venge- 
ce  of  offended  royalty.  0  my  dear  country!  never  for- 
t  your  then  situation .  Without  an  army ;  without  a  Ge- 
jral  bred  in  the  school  of  war;  without  great  or  small  arms 

to  to  oppose  the  unconquered  forces  of  Britain ;  without  a 
i-asury;  without  an  ally;  without  a  single  frigate,  to  op- 
Ise  the  first  naval  power  on  earth;  a  power  deemed  our 

)ther,  among  whom  we  had  a  million  of  relations,  friends, 
|d  correspondents — to  oppose  a  King,  whom  we  honoured 

idolatry! !  At  this  awful  period  CONGRESS  met,  under  a 
of  public  cares,  inconceivable  by  all  but  patriots.  It 
|zed  the  helm — it  became  a  center  of  union  and  of  motion, 

the  scattered  colonists;  and  made  a  common  cause  with 

iton.     The  continent,  as  by  an  electrical  shock,  caught 

jj  noble  enthusiastic  spirit  of  liberty  and  resentment.  Hea- 
pointed  out  GEORGE  WASHINGTON,  as  the  instru- 

nt   by   whom  it  would  save  his  country;   at  the   call  of 

ich  he  hastened  to  head  the  brave,  but  fresh  troops  col- 
lected 


[     54     ] 

lected  near  Boston,  who  had  driven  the  British  from  Lex- 
ington, and  had  made  so  brave  and  obstinate  a  defence  at 
Bunkers-hill,  and  he  drove  the  enemy  from  that  distressed 
town.  Congress  petitioned,  remonstrated,  protested,  and 
appealed  to  heaven  and  earth,  with  a  force  and  energy  our 
language  had  never  before  experienced.  But  all  in  vain: 
King  and  Parliament  were  hardened  againt  us.  The  storm 
increased:  dangers  collected  on  every  hand.  Powerful 
fleets  wafted  over  numerous  bands  of  British,  and  their  hire- 
lings. Congress  had  no  resources,  but  in  their  own  steady 
fortitude,  and  the  spirit  of  the  inhabitants.  Our  losses  by 
sea,  however,  were  immense;  our  trade  ruined;  our  sea- 
ports possessed  by  the  enemy;  our  armies  defeated  in  almost 
every  engagement;  a  civil  war  raging  in  our  bowels,  tory 
against  whig  and  whig  against  tory;  our  slaves  by  invitation 
joining  the  enemy  by  thousands,  and  our  paper  money 
scarcely  worth  the  hundredth  part  of  its  nominal  value.— 
Amidst  such  a  complicated  scene  of  distresses,  our  public  vir- 
tue began  to  flag.  The  militia  had  lost  their  best  arms,  and 
were  backward  to  the  service.  The  regulars  were  badly 
cloathed,  and  worse  paid.  But  when  they  saw  their  belov- 
ed Chief,  sharing  in  all  their  dangers  and  sufferings,  they 
drew  courage  from  his  eye;  instruction  and  confidence  from 
his  lips.  In  this  darkest  day  in  the  American  horizon,  GOD, 
who  was  incessantly  revoked  by  every  thinking  inhabitant, 
gave  us  credit  with  some  French  merchants,  who  supplied 
our  armies  with  great  and  small  arms,  ammunition  and 
cloathing.  But  this  was  not  all.  HE  who  intended  Ame- 
rica for  what  it  now  is,  and  promises  to  be,  would  not  do 
his  work  by  halves;  but  put  it  into  the  heart  of  the  King 
of  France,  an  absolute  Sovereign,  and  at  that  time  ruling  a 
people  devoted  to  him  and  monarchy,  to  take  by  the  hand, 
on  the  broad  basis  of  equality,  a  number  of  colonies,  deem- 
ed to  be  in  wanton  rebellion  against  their  lawful  Sovereign ; 
make  a  common  cause  with  them;  send  fleets,  armies,  and 
all  things  necessary;  and  to  continue  a  vigorous  co-operation 
with  America,  till  her  independence  should  be  secured.  I 
again  call  on  my  country  to  remark  a  coincidence  of  pro- 
vidence never  to  be  forgotten.  A  plan  was  concerted  be- 
twixt America  and  France,  to  entrap  Lord  Cornwallis  in 
Virginia.  A  French  fleet  arrived  at  Rhode-Island,  with 
all  things  necessary  for  a  siege;  a  superiour  British  fleet  lay 
at  New- York.  Another  French  fleet  was  ordered  to  Vir- 
ginia from  the  West-Indies.  General  Clinton  could  have 

rein- 


[     55     ] 

reinforced  Lord  Cornwallis;  but  was  diverted  from  it  by 
the  address  of  the  American  General,  who  threatened  to 
attack  New- York.  Had  the  British  fleet  intercepted  the 
French  on  their  passage  from  New-Port — had  contrary 
winds  prevented  DeG rasse's  arrival  in  the  Chesapeak — had 
he  not  defeated  the  fleet  that  was  sent  to  drive  him  from  it — 
had  he  not  been  furnished  with  ships,  to  carry  the  combined 
army  from  the  head  of  the  bay  to  James-Town ,  the  whole 
plan  must  have  miscarried;  Britain  would  have  escaped  the 
greatest  blow  it  ever  received;  the  war  been  protracted, 
and  its  issue  rendered  doubtful.  But  this  surrender,  with 
its  attendant  losses,  had  in  time  the  desired  effect:  the  Bri- 
tish nation  became  tired  of  the  war  and  its  enormous  expen- 
ces.  A  general  treaty  took  place,  in  which  Britain  acknow- 
ledged the  independence  of  the  American  States,  which  the 
other  nations  of  Europe  did  soon  after.  A  constitution  was 
formed  by  the  united  Avisdom  of  our  country,  which  after 
some  time  was  adopted  by  all  the  states.  Under  its  happy 
influence  they  have  flourished  ever  since  in  peace,  prosperity 
and  reputation — and  the  population  of  our  western  territory 
has  never  been  equaled  since  the  first  ages  of  the  world. 

O  fortunatos  nimium,  sua  si  bona  norint 

Americanos!  Virgil. 

But  we  have  those  who  know  not  their  happiness,  or  who 
knowing,  would  blast  it.  I  must  here  bear  my  testimony  a - 
gainst  a  late  production  of  a  malignant  pen,  who  treats  the 
first  character  of  the  age  with  a  degree  of  scurrility,  which 
nothing  but  malace  and  envy  could  dictate;  and  shall  only  say 
of  him,  what  the  Spectator  does  of  the  author  of  a  discourse 
on  Freethinking :  "If  ever  man  deserved  to  be  denied  the 
common  blessings  of  fire  and  water,  it  is  the  writer  of  a 
piece  signed  BeUisarius."  The  boundaries  of  the  states,  as 
fixed  by  treaty,  are  as  follow:  From  the  mouth  of  the  river 
St.  Croix,  in  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  up  the  said  river,  and  con- 
tinue a,  north  course  to  the  ridge  tha.t  divides  the  waters  that 
run  into  the  Atlantic,  from  those  of  the  St.  Lawrance;  and 
along  the  same  a  southwest  direction  to  lake  Champlain ;  and 
thence  a  western  course  to  the  river  St.  Lawrance,  the 
boundary  line  betwixt  the  United  States  and  the  British  do- 
minions in  Canada  being  supposed  to  run  through  the  mid- 
dle of  the  lakes  Ontario,  Erie,  Huron,  lake  Superiour,  and 
to  the  lake  of  the  Woods ;  from  whence  it  takes  a  western 
course  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Missisippi,  and  down  that 
river  to  lat.  31;  thence  an  east  course  to  the  mouth  of  the 

river 


[    56     ] 

river  St.  Mary's,  leaving  east  and  west  Florida  to  the  south. 
On  the  east  the  United  States  are  everywhere  bounded  by 
the  Atlantic  ocean.  As  to  their  extent,  the  post  roads  along 
the  eastern  coast,  measure  1470  miles;  but  from  the  north- 
east corner  to  the  southwest  on  the  Missisippi,  must  be  1800; 
and  from  the  mouth  of  St.  Mary's  to  the  northwest  corner 
cannot  be  less.  An  east  and  west  line  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Delaware  to  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri  may  be  800  miles. 
The  United  States  resemble  the  printed  Y — the  lower  end 
of  the  stem,  the  south  line;  the  Atlantic  ocean  on  the  right, 
Missisippi  on  the  left,  and  Canada  the  part  cut  out  betwixt 
the  points,  but  with  a  wider  angle.  New-England  composes 
the  northeastern  division  of  the  United  States,  New-Hamp- 
shire, Massachusets,  Vermont,  Rhode-Island  and  Connecti- 
cut constitute  this  division :  Maine  is  considered  as  the  north- 
ern part  of  Massachusets.  In  length  about  550  miles,  and 
200  in  breadth.  Bounded  on  the  northeast  by  Nova-Scotia, 
on  the  north  by  Canada,  on  the  west  by  New- York,  and  o 
the  east  by  the  Atlantic.  Their  rivers  are  the  Penobscot 
Kannebeque,  Saco,  Piscataway,  Merimac,  Patuxent,  Thames 
and  Connecticut.  The  last  river  runs  through,  and  is  o 
vast  use  to  the  states  of  New-Hampshire,  Massachusets  anc 
Connecticut,  where  it  mouths.  Their  principal  bays  anc 
harbours  are  Penobscot,  Casco  and  Piscataway  bays — the 
fine  harbours  of  Boston,  West-harbour  and  Rhode-Island i 
The  chief  places  of  trade  and  navigation  are  Penobscot,  Hal 
lifax  and  Wiscasset  on  the  Kennebeque,  Brunswick,  Casco, 
Wells,  York,  Piscataway,  Portsmouth  the  capital  of  New- 
Hampshire,  where  that  state  touches  the  Atlantic — Salisbury 
on  the  Merimac,  Ipswich,  Salem,  Charles-Town,  Boston  in 
lat.  42  25,  Cituate.  Plymouth,  Sandwich,  Barnstable,  the 
island  of  Nantucket.  In  Rhode-Island,  Newport  and  Pro- 
vidence. In  Connecticut,  New-London  on  the  Thames, 
Lyme  and  Hartford  on  the  great  river,  and  farther  west  are 
New-Haven,  Milford,  &c.  This  virtuous  and  industrious 
people  make  a  wise  and  proper  use  of  the  advantages  their 
soil  and  seaports  give  them.  As  they  abound  with  fine  tim- 
ber and  naval  stores  of  all  kinds,  they  carry  on  ship-build- 
ing to  a  great  extent,  which  enables  them  not  only  to  ex- 
port their  own  numerous  productions  and  manufactures,  but 
to  be  the  carriers  for  other  states,  and  even  for  Europe. 
By  this  they  carry  on  a  most  extensive  fishery,  from  the 
whale  to  the  herring,  for  thousands  of  leagues  along  the 
coast  of  North  and  South  America;  which  fish  and  oil  they 

send 


[    57    ] 

send  to  Europe,  and  sell  ship  and  cargo.  Education  is  much 
encouraged  in  those  states.  The  religion  of  New-England 
is  chiefly  Calvanistic  and  Presbyterian,  as  might  be  conjec- 
tured from  the  first  inhabitants  flying  to  the  asylum  oi  frozen 
forests  and  Indian  savages,  from  the  oppressions  of  the  Eng- 
lish church:  but  religious  liberty  is  the  glorious  peculiarity 
of  the  United  States.  In  the  year  1790,  the  inhabitants  of 
these  states  amounted  to  1,010,000  souls,  and  not  4000  slaves 
among  them.  They  send  29  members  to  the  Congress 
House  of  Representatives.  It  has  been  remarked,  that  dur- 
ing the  very  heat  of  our  contest  with  Britain,  the  Assembly 
of  Massachusets  passed  an  act  establishing  a  philosophical 
society,  for  the  promotion  of  the  study  of  the  natural  histo- 
ry, and  antiquities  of  America;  and  to  promote  agriculture, 
commerce,  and  every  art  and  science,  that  may  promote  the 
honour,  interest  and  happiness  of  a  great  and  free  people. — 
Boston  is  defended  by  a  strong  castle,  at  the  entrance  of  their 
spacious  harbour. 

New-York  offers  next,  300  miles  in  length,  extending 
from  the  mouth  of  Hudson  to  Canada,  north  and  south,  and 
150  miles  in  breadth,  from  New-England  on  the  east,  to 
New- Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  lakes  on  the  west  and 
south-west.  This  state  owns  Long-Island  and  Statan-Island . 
The  city  of  New- York  stands  on  York-Island,  in  lat.  40  40, 
at  the  mouth  of  Hudson's  river,  a  noble  stream  three  miles 
wide  at  the  city;  up  and  down  which  they  carry  on  a  great 
trade  with  the  city  of  Albany,  150  miles  up;  and  with 
many  other  places  towards  the  lakes  and  Canada.  The 
productions  and  exports  of  this  state  are  nearly  the  same 
with  those  of  New-England ;  large  quantities  of  provisions, 
naval  stores,  furs,  pot  and  pearl  ashes,  &c.  The  population 
of  New-York  is  about  340,000,  21,000  of  them  slaves, 
which  entitles  them  to  ten  members  in  the  representation 
of  the  United  States.  Religion  in  New- York  is  perfectly 
free. 

New- Jersey  follows  next,  160  miles  in  length  and  55  in 
width,  bounded  on  the  west  by  Delaware,  on  the  south  and 
east  by  the  Atlantic,  and  on  the  north  by  Staten-Island 
sound,  Hudson's  river  and  New- York.  Its  rivers  are  De- 
laware, Passaick  and  Raritan.  Its  towns  are  Burlington, 
twenty  miles  above  Philadelphia  on  Delaware,  north  lat. 
40  8.  Trenton  still  higher  up;  and  on  the  east  and  north- 
east Doncaster,  Amboy;  Brunswick  and  Elizabeth-Town. 
New-Jersey  being  a  peninsula,  is  very  convenient  to  navi- 

H  gation. 


[     58     ] 

gallon.  But  New- York  on  one  side  and  Philadelphia  on 
the  other,  draw  the  trade  to  them.  They  however  ex- 
port provisions  and  lumber,  and  they  possess  the  richest  cop- 
per mine  in  the  United  States.  In  the  year  1746  a  College 
was  established  with  university  privileges,  first  at  Newark 
and  now  at  Princeton.  It  has  greatly  flourished  under  the 
Presidents  Dickinson,  Burr,  Edwards,  Davies,  Finlay, 
Witherspoon,  and  now  does  under  the  presidency  of  Dr. 
S.  S.  Smith,  lately  and  unanimously  chosen  to  that  import- 
ant station.  Religion  is  free  in  Jersey;  and  their  number* 
by  the  census  taken  in  1790,  were  185,000,  slaves  making 
the  17th  part.  They  send  five  representatives  to  Congress. 

Pennsylvania  comes  next  in  course,  about  280  miles  in 
length,  from  Delaware  river  which  separates  it  from  Newr- 
Jersey  and  New-York,  on  the  east,  to  the  lands  ceded  to 
the  United  States  by  the  treaty  this  year,  on  the  west;  and 
from  Maryland  on  the  south,  to  the  Six  Nations  on  the  north, 
220  miles  in  breadth.  This  extensive  and  fruitful  state  has 
much  land  carriage;  but  by  their  fine  rivers  Delaware, 
Schuylkill  and  Susquehanna,  they  are  excellently  situated 
to  export  their  numerous  and  valuable  productions,  to  wit, 
ships  and  provisions  of  all  kinds.  The  farmers  are  chiefly 
cloathed  with  their  own  manufactures.  Their  towns  are 
not  so  numerous  as  those  of  New-England;  but  Gen  nan - 
Town,  Chester,  Y'ork,  Lancaster,  Carlisle,  and  some  others 
are  populous  and  thriving.  But  Philadelphia  on  the  Dela- 
ware is  the  most  regular  and  populous  city  in  America .  It 
lies  in  the  40th  degree  of  north  latitude,  and  75  20  west 
longitude  from  London;  which  by  my  calculation,  brings 
it  3450  miles  west,  and  800  south  of  the  capital  of  England. 
Their  population  in  1790  were  435,000,  of  whom  the  slaves 
made  about  the  120th  part.  No  religious  establishment  ever 
took  place  in  Pennsylvania.  On  the  basis  of  civil  and  reli- 
gious liberty,  did  that  wise  legislator  and  statesman  William 
Penn,  lay  the  foundation  of  his  infant  colony,  which  drew 
such  multitudes  from  Europe,  especially  Presbyterians  from 
the  north  of  Ireland,  by  whom  the  western  parts  of  the 
middle  and  southern  states  are  chiefly  peopled.  This  state 
is  represented  by  thirteen  members  in  Congress. 

The  three  counties  of  Newcastle,  Kent,  and  Sussex,  com- 
pose a  little  maritime  state  by  the  name  of  Delaware,  as  they 
lie  to  the  south-west  of  the  bay  of  that  name.  It  is  bounded 
by  Maryland  on  the  west  and  south.  Its  chief  town  is  Wil- 
mington. It  is  so  like  Pennsylvania  it  needs  no  farther  de- 
scription. 


L     59     1 

scription.  It  is  in  length  90  miles,  in  breadth  24.  Its  po- 
pulation 60,000,  of  which  slaves  make  near  9000;  and  has 
one  representative  in  Congress. 

Maryland  has  Pennsylvania  on  the  north,  Delaware  state 
and  the  Atlantic  on  the  east,  on  the  south  and  south-west  it 
is  separated  from  Virginia  by  the  river  Patomac,  and  has 
the  Apalachian  mountains  to  the  west.  Its  length  from  east 
to  west  210  miles;  its  width  is  very  unequal,  but  where 
widest  140  miles.  The  rivers  of  Maryland  are  the  Sassa- 
frass,  Severn,  Patuxent,  Patomac,  and  many  smaller 
streams,  which  with  Chesapeak  bay  piercing  it  from  side  to 
side,  renders  it,  like  its  neighbour  Virginia,  but  one  great 
harbour.  The  productions  of  both  states  shall  be  mentioned 
together.  The  first  settlement  of  Maryland  was  by  a  colony 
of  Roman  Catholics,  who  were  brought  over  by  the  propri- 
etor Lord  Baltimore,  who  had  prudence  and  moderation 
enough  to  grant  liberty  of  conscience  to  all  professions, 
which  drew  great  numbers  to  Maryland,  who  have  greatly 
improved  it  and  built  some  towns,  Annapolis  the  capital, 
but  Baltimore  the  chief  place  of  trade.  In  this  state  the  city 
of  Washington  is  laid  off  and  building,  as  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States.  Their  population  five  years  ago 
was  320,000,  of  which  the  slaves  made  nearly  one  third. 
They  have  eight  members  in  the  Congress  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives. Religion  is  free  in  Maryland;  but  all  who  are 
appointed  to  lucrative  offices  must  subscribe  their  belief  of 
the  Christian  religion. 

Virginia  is  bounded  on  the  north-east  by  Patomac,  on 
the  east  by  the  Atlantic,  on  the  south  by  North-Carolina, 
and  on  the  west  by  Kentuckey.  Its  length  was  originally 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Missisippi  750  miles,  but  Kentuckey 
being  cut  off  it  may  be  half  that  length,  and  240  miles  wide. 
The  great  rivers  Patomac,  Rappahannock,  York  and  James 
river,  with  their  numerous  branches,  and  many  other 
streams,  render  this  state  as  convenient  for  navigation  as  if 
it  was  an  island.  The  exports  of  Virginia  and  Maryland 
are  tobacco,  wheat,  Indian  corn,  flour,  pork,  beef,  lumber, 
naval  stores,  iron,  &c.  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  first  sent  a  co- 
lony to  Virginia,  but  they  were  cut  off,  as  were  several  suc- 
ceeding adventurers;  till  Lord  Delaware  came  over  in  per- 
son, with  such  supplies  as  established  the  colony,  the  first 
that  was  settled  by  Britain  in  America.  Their  tobacco  ren- 
dered this  country  numerous  and  wealthy,  though  all  religi- 
ous professions  had  to  support  established  Episcopacy,  and  all 

British 


[     60     ] 

British  America  belonged  to  the  diocese  of  London.  Vir- 
ginia took  a  leading  part  in  all  the  contests  of  America  with 
Britain;  and  during  the  grand  struggle,  the  Assembly  though 
mostly  Episcopalians,  wisely  and  generously  let  down  their 
church  to  a  level  with  their  Christian  brethren.  Their  nu- 
merous rivers  being  accessible  to  shipping  an  hundred  miles 
up,  renders  great  towns  unnecessary  in  that  large  state; 
they  however,  carry  on  a  great  trade  from  Norfolk,  Pe- 
tersburg, Richmond,  Manchester,  Fredericksburg  and  other 
towns  on  their  fine  rivers.  The  population  of  Virginia  in 
1790,  was  750,000;  in  this  number  the  proportion  of  slaves 
to  whites  is  as  one  to  two  and  an  half.  This  state  sends 
nineteen  members  to  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
United  States.  Latitude  of  Richmond  about  38°. 

North-Carolina  has  Virginia  on  the  north,  by  a  dividing 
line  in  36°  30',  South-Carolina  on  the  south,  and  the  At- 
lantic ocean  on  the  east.  It  extended  to  the  Missisippi,  but 
the  Assembly  gave  up  its  western  territory  to  the  United 
States.  The  southern  line  is  in  35°  till  it  turns  to  the  south- 
east, and  extends  on  the  sea  coast  about  200  miles.  Its 
chief  rivers  are  Pasquotank,  Chowan,  Roanoak,  Tar-river, 
Neuse  and  Cape-Fear.  Its  rivers  and  exstensive  coast,  ren- 
der it  as  convenient  for  trade  as  any  of  its  sister  states,  if 
the  entrance  from  the  ocean  were  not  shallow  and  sandy ; 
which  confines  the  trade  to  small  vessels;  but  Cape-Fear  ad- 
mits ships  of  any  burden.  The  productions  of  this  state  are 
numerous  and  valuable.  It  sends  by  land  to  Virginia  annu- 
ully,  6  or  7000  hogsheads  of  tobacco;  and  exports  a  number 
from  its  own  inspections.  Its  other  exports  are  wheat, 
flour,  pease,  beef,  pork,  butter,  cheese,  lumber,  pitch,  tar, 
turpentine,  and  I  wish  I  could  add  to  the  exports  of  my 
country  pot  and  pearl  ashes,  which  it  is  well  calculated  to 
produce.  The  numerous  landings  in  this  state,  are  also  un- 
friendly to  large  towns.  It  has  however,  some  small  towns 
on  navigation,  as  Halifax,  Edenton,  Washington,  Tarbo- 
rough,  Newbern,  Fayetteville,  and  Wilmington,  besides 
some  inland  towns  that  are  represented  in  the  Assembly.  The 
seat  of  Government  is  fixed  at  the  city  of  Raleigh,  in  Wake 
county,  in  latitude  thirty-five  and  an  half,  where  the  Legi- 
slature hold  their  Assemblies,  and  the  officers  of  Government 
chiefly  reside.  A  University  is  established  by  act  of  Assem- 
bly, in  Orange  county,  with  liberal  appointments  by  the 
state,  and  numerous  benefactions.  It  is  yet  in  its  infancy, 
has  about  sixty  students,  and  is  under  the  government  of 

good 


[     61     ] 

good  and  learned  men,  must  prove  an  extensive  blessing,  as 
well  as  an  honour  to  the  state.  What  can  more  loudly  call 
for  the  prayers  of  all  good  people,  than  that  GOD's  blessing 
may  reside  on  our  principal  seat  of  learning,  from  which 
fountain  are  to  flow  those  streams,  that  must  poison,  or  pu- 
rify and  nourish  our  country.  Its  short  progress  has  been 
rapid ;  may  its  success  be  glorious !  The  population  of  this 
state  in  1790,  was  394,000,  and  the  proportion  of  whites  to 
slaves  nearly  as  three  to  one.  North  Carolina  sends  ten  re- 
presentatives to  Congress,  besides  two  Senators,  which  is 
common  to  all  the  states.  Religion  is  here  also  happily 
free. 

South-Carolina  is  bounded  on  the  north  and  north-east  by 
North-Carolina,  on  the  south  and  south-west  by  Georgia, 
and  on  the  east  by  the  Atlantic,  with  a  sea  coast  about  200 
miles,  from  North-Carolina  to  the  mouth  of  Savanna  river, 
which  separates  it  from  Georgia.  My  map  gives  it  a  fron- 
tier to  the  Missisippi  of  two  degrees  in  width,  but  Georgia 
claims  a  large  part  of  it.  The  chief  rivers  of  this  state  are 
Pedee,  Santee,  Cooper,  Ashly,  Edisto  and  Savanna.  The 
Carolinas  were  first  granted  to  proprietors,  but  the  Crown 
bought  them  all  out,  but  Lord  Granville. 

Charleston  was  the  first  spot  the  adventurers  pitched  on 
for  a  residence,  and  it  has  grown  up  to  a  beautiful  city,  and 
a  place  of  great  trade.  It  has  some  other  towns,  as  Cam- 
bridge, Camden,  George-Town,  and  Columbia  their  seat  of 
Government.  The  productions  of  this  wealthy  state  are  rice, 
indigo,  wheat,  Indian  corn,  pease,  tobacco,  cotton,  beef, 
<fec.  Charleston  lies  in  latitude  32  45.  Some  attempts  have 
been  made  to  establish  seminaries  of  learning  in  this  state, 
but  with  little  effect.  Education  is  however  encouraged  in 
private  academies,  and  gentlemen's  sons  finish  at  some  north- 
ern college.  Five  years  ago  the  population  of  South-Caro- 
lina was  250,000,  and  nearly  five  whites  to  two  blacks; 
which  gives  them  a  representation  of  six  members  in  Con- 
gress. 

Georgia  is  about  500  miles  in  length,  from  the  Atlantic 
ocean  on  the  east,  to  Missisippi  on  the  west;  and  from  the 
line  that  divides  the  United  States  from  east  and  west  Flori- 
da, in  latitude  31,  to  the  southern  line  of  North-Carolina, 
is  four  degrees  or  278  miles  on  a  meridian ;  but  I  am  yet  to 
learn  how  much  of  this  Georgia  claims.  The  principal  ri- 
vers of  this  state,  are  Savanna,  which  separates  it  on  the 
north-east  from  South -Caroli na ;  Ogeeche,  Altamaha,  and 

St. 


[    62    ] 

St.  Mary's  which  divides  it  from  Florida.  These  all  flow 
into  the  Atlantic.  On  the  west  it  has  Apalachicola,  Mobile, 
Pearl  river,  and  others,  that  flow  into  the  gulph  of  Mexico; 
and  the  Yasoua  that  runs  into  Missisippi.  The  productions 
and  exports  of  this  state  are  the  same  with  those  of  South  - 
Carolina.  The  Altamaha  and  Savanna  rivers  make  good 
harbours.  Their  towns  are  Savanna,  Fred  erica  and  Sun- 
bury,  on  the  coast;  and  Augusta,  the  seat  of  Government, 
a  great  distance  up  the  Savanna .  In  the  census  taken  in 
1790,  the  inhabitants  of  Georgia  were  83,000,  and  the  pro- 
portion of  slaves  to  the  whites  as  30  to  53.  This  state  sends 
two  members  to  the  Congress  House  of  Representatives. 
The  South  Western  Territory  contained  36,000,  of  whom 
not  quite  a  tenth  were  slaves. 

The  United  States  five  years  ago  contained  in  round  num- 
bers, 4,000,000  of  souls;  the  slaves  were  700,000;  free 
people  of  colour  60,000.  The  slaves  were  then  to  the  free 
as  7  to  33,  a  little  more  than  one  to  five.  Mr.  Hodge's 
new  Almanack  will  gratify  political  arithmeticians,  not  only 
in  the  proportion  of  the  sexes,  but  it  will  prove  the  age  of 
sixteen  to  be  a  good  medium,  at  which  to  divide  the  living 
numbers  of  the  human  race.  Of  sixteen  and  upwards,  the 
white  males  824,000;  under  sixteen,  803,000.  White  fe- 
males of  all  ages,  1,560,000.  This  proclaims  a  superin- 
tending providence  over  the  sexes,  as  in  all  ages  and  nations 
more  males  than  females  are  born.  With  us,  the  difference 
is  about  as  32  to  31.  It  is  sometimes  as  high  as  21  to  *20:  — 
A  most  wise  provision  for  the  hazardous  occupations  of  the 
males  by  sea  and  land,  in  war  and  peace!  If  it  be  granted 
that  we  double  our  numbers  in  twenty-two  years,  without 
any  supplies  from  other  nations,  I  must  believe,  from  the 
many  omissions  that  must  have  happened  when  the  numbers 
were  taken;  from  the  vast  increase  in  our  healthy  inhabit- 
ants; and  from  the  numerous  arrivals  from  the  despotism  of 
Europe,  I  must  believe,  I  say,  the  number  of  souls  within 
the  United  States,  at  the  close  of  1795,  must  equal  or  ex- 
ceed 5,000,000. 

May  piety,  virtue,  honour,  truth  and  justice  increase  in 
full  proportion;  and  let  all  the  people  say,  AMEN. 


